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Bogenhuber lands first Group win on The Monstar

2 June 2018

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By Glenn Davis

The dream came true for Toowoomba jockey Skye Bogenhuber when she won her first ever Group race aboard The Monstar in the Group 2 Moreton Cup at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

The Monstar led all the way to hold on for a long neck win over Melbourne raider Platinum Angel with Sydney visitor Calanda third, a short half head away in a blanket finish.

Before her Moreton Cup triumph, Bogenhuber had never ridden in a Group race but had won several Listed races.

She became the first woman rider to win the Listed Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba on the Michael Nolan-trained Miss Imagica five years ago.

Scone trainer Brett Cavanough rewarded Bogenhuber with the ride on The Monstar after the pair struck a formidable combination when Cavanough had a small team in work at Toowoomba in 2016.

Bogenhuber has won the Toowoomba jockeys’ premiership five times and only missed out a sixth title by one win last season despite spending several months riding in Perth.

“I love this horse and I love Brett Cavanough,” Bogenhuber said.

“To win a Group race is such a dream.

“I was a little worried at the top of the straight when he hit a flat spot but he toughed it out.”

The Monstar is not an easy horse to ride but Bogenhuber was always Cavanough’s first choice rider with her previous record of two wins and as many placings from four rides on seven-year-old.

The Monstar is now likely to head straight back to Scone despite recording his first win since the Listed June Stakes at Randwick in June last year.

Meanwhile jockey Larry Cassidy rode his first winner for the powerful Godolphin stable when Impending's brother Epidemic was successful in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m).

“She’s a filly on the way up. She’s gutsy and strong and has that will to win,” Cassidy said.

“Her form in Sydney was very good so they obviously came here for Black-Type so she’s a valuable filly now.”

The Blue Army’s trainer James Cummings was absent but stable spokesman Paul Reid was delighted after the filly landed her fifth win including her last three in a row from only 10 starts.

“She’s quite a determined filly and she’s created such a good future for herself," Reid said.

Team Snowden completed a winning double when Snippet’s Land broke a two-year drought to claim the Spear Chief Handicap (1400m).

Snippet’s Land, ridden by Jim Byrne, was near the rear of the field on the home turn before unleashing a whirlwind finish to edge out I’m A Rippa.

Snippet’s Land’s victory was his first since claiming the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben in 2016.

“If you look at his last three or four runs he’s been very unlucky from good draws and I’m just pleased for his owners,” said Peter Snowden.

“He hasn’t won for two years and doesn’t like wet tracks and when he drew bad I just thought he’s got nothing to lose and he’d have to make his own luck.”

 Racing Queensland webnews   June 2