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Reynolds and Rather Salubrious to do bush proud on Tattersall's Tiara race day

25 June 2021

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b881685630z1-20181121114603-000gg71b06rb2-0-t3jfch22owg0c0nubr2-t1880.jpgBy Jordan Gerrans

Although he is Dalby-based, David Reynolds knows he will also be representing the racing community of Goondiwindi when Rather Salubrious goes in search of the 2021 TAB Battle of the Bush crown on Saturday afternoon.  

Rather Salubrious is a regular in town during these series’ aimed towards regional trainers and gallopers, finishing third in the Country Cups Challenge last year to Mareeba’s star Paniagua.

Rather Salubrious proved too strong in the Goondiwindi qualifier in late May at the Goondiwindi Race Club, which is known as Gunsynd Park – named after the champion racehorse.

It is a two hour trip in the car from Dalby to Gunsynd Park and the horseman says he is proudly representing both towns on Tattersall's Tiara Race day at Eagle Farm.

“That is the second qualifier I have won at Goondiwindi, we won two years ago with Music Scene out there,” Reynolds said.

“I hope they embrace it.

“Hopefully people can have a bet on us out there this weekend, say they know the horse and have seen it at their track, it creates that interest in the industry,”

Reynolds, who has a team of around 18 in work at Dalby, was on hand on Wednesday morning for the BOTB barrier draw with his team ending up the nine alley.

He believes regional areas around the Sunshine State are buzzing following the series heats and leading towards Saturday’s big decider.

“We love it, everyone looks forward to it and it is just another level to our racing that we can go to because prizemoney is an issue at every level of racing,” Reynolds said.

“It gives us a boost in the country areas, it is massive for us country people.

“We have already started buying horses for next year’s BOTB races.”

First introduced in 2018, the BOTB series has gone from strength to strength since and Reynolds recalled an interaction after the recent Gayndah qualifier that showcased to him just how much cut-through it is having with novice racing followers.

“We dropped into a local pub coming home from Gayndah the other week and people in the pub were talking about Fab’s Cowboy, the legend of bush racing,” Reynolds, who lives on a 450-acre farm at Dalby, said.

“They are in a country pub; they are talking about it and it is really good for racing.”

Rather Salubrious is rated a $7 chance with the TAB to claim the 2021 BOTB title on Saturday afternoon with classy Mount Isa galloper Tango Rain the public elect at $4.40 as of Thursday afternoon.

R6-Phantom-Falcon-Kacy-Fogden-Wendy-Peel-7.jpgJockeys for the BOTB final have been a key talking point in the lead-up to the Final with some trainers and connections option for gun interstate hoops such as Hugh Bowman and Tommy Berry.

While others have stuck with their regular riders from their bush area, with Ric McMahon and Ash Butler among the regional jockeys who will take rides in the Final.

For Rather Salubrious, Reynolds decided to do neither, he opted to go with apprentice Wendy Peel, who rode the five-year-old bay mare three starts back at Eagle Farm for the second time in her career.

While Peel is not Rather Salubrious’ regular rider, she has been on her before and was there at the barrier draw on Wednesday morning to support the Reynolds team.

“I copped a little bit of criticism from my peers for doing that, I am pretty loyal and you would have to do something pretty bad for me to take you off one of my horses,” the trainer said.

“Angela Jones won on her in the heat and she could have ridden her, I would have put her on.

“But Wendy has ridden her a few times and she gave her a lovely run about a month ago.

“We are really happy with Wendy.

“Wendy can ride and she is dedicated to her work, which is what stands out for me, the commitment, she rides track work and cleans the boxes.

“She does everything to can as hard work always pays off in this game and it always pays off in the long run.”

Reynolds is a BOTB veteran, with Rather Salubrious’ stable-mate Music Scene going around in the Final last year without much luck before being first emergency in the first ever running of the popular series.

Click here to read a full copy of the series conditions for the 2021 TAB Battle of the Bush.