Cook bids for Country Cups Challenge with For Valour

By Glenn Davis

Rockhampton trainer Tim Cook and his Brisbane counterpart Lindsay Gough share a common interest.

Apart from their love of horses and being close friends, both are also good mates with larrikin owner Bill Mumford.

“I’ve known Billy for about eight years after he was introduced to me by Lindsay who I’ve known for about 30 years or more,” Cook said.

Mumford is a regular carnival visitor to Central and North Queensland each year and claimed the Cleveland Bay Handicap in Townsville three years ago with the Gough-trained Wren’s Day.

He is well known to Queenslanders as the owner of Consular who he bought for $20,000 as a tried horse in Victoria. 

Consular was trained at Eagle Farm by Bill Baker and went on to earn more than $1 million in prizemoney with 16 wins and 14 placings and was runner-up to Kiwi sprinter Thorn Park in the 2004 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

Cook and Mumford will team up with the For Valour when the gelding heads to Yeppoon on Saturday for a Country Cups Challenge qualifying heat over 1400 metres.

For Valour started his career with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in Sydney before Mumford bought him and sent him to Gough to train at Eagle Farm last year.

But, after not winning in five starts, For Valour was transferred to Mackay's Lyle Wright who managed to bring a win out of him in four starts for the stable.

Cook took over training the gelding in June this year but after only one placing in five starts, For Valour was sent to Barcaldine trainer Toni Schofield.

However, after just two starts, which included a placing at Emerald, For Valour returned to Cook’s barn and won at his first start back for the stable over 1615 metres at the same venue.

“We sent him to Toni’s to get ready for the Birdsville Cup but he didn’t handle the dirt tracks, so he came home,” Cook said.

“He got lapped on Aramac but he then ran a nice third at Emerald before he came back to me.”

After winning at Emerald in late September, For Valour finished fourth in the Eidsvold Cup on October 4 and is coming off a last start third to the Stuart Kendrick-trained Hollywood North at Rockhampton on October 18.

The 47-year-old Cook is a farrier by trade with eight horses in work in Rockhampton and he’s confident For Valour can book his ticket to Brisbane for the Country Cups Challenge Final.

“I’ve never had a horse good enough or had one to meet the five country races qualifying conditions,” Cook said.

“He’s got as good a chance as any in this race and if he wins, he’ll head to Brisbane for the Final.

“He’s going good enough but if he doesn’t win, he could be retired as he’s coming to the end."