Old warrior aiming for a North Queensland feature

By Glenn Davis

A friendship which began over a few beers at a Brisbane pub more than two decades ago has taken Eagle Farm trainer Lindsay Gough and owner Bill Mumford on a wild ride.

It was at a racing function at Brisbane’s Pineapple Hotel when Gough’s good mate, former Brisbane soccer identity Mick Hayes, introduced him to Mumford and their friendship has blossomed ever since.

Gough and Mumford shared in their biggest win with Wren’s Day in the Cleveland Bay Handicap in Townsville two years ago and are back up north hoping to claim their first Cairns Newmarket on Saturday with Constant Flight.

Constant Flight is the pair’s best hope with For Valour also accepting in a two-pronged attack.

Constant Flight went close to giving Gough and Mumford back-to-back Cleveland Bay wins when the gelding finished third to the Kevin Miller-trained Isis Carmella last year.

Fast forward 12 months and Constant Flight was far from disgraced when the 10-year-old veteran finished fifth to the Tom Button-trained Northern Pride in this year’s Cleveland Bay on August 3.

While Gough knows Constant Flight’s career is winding down, he believes the old warrior will give his Newmarket rivals a hell of a fright.

“I’ve known Billy since I got my licence in the late 90’s when I trained my first winner with my first runner,” Gough said.

“I met him at a racing function at the Pineapple pub and the friendship developed from there.”

Gough believes Constant Flight has defied his age and was rapt in his last start fifth. 

“He drew bad in the Cleveland Bay and had to do a heap of work and was never better than three wide,” Gough said.

“He was very good in the Rocky Newmarket when he ran sixth and I think he’s up to his ears in the Cairns Newmarket.”

Gough plans to continue his Far North Queensland sojourn after the Cairns Newmarket and may retire Constant Flight after the Magic Millions Country Cup at the Gold Coast in January next year.

“He’s racing well and hasn’t had any problems but he’s getting older and if we can get him to the Magic Millions then that might see him out,” Gough said. 

Gough became a father for the second time two weeks ago.

Gough was born and raised in Townsville and is the son of former Eagle Farm trainer Barry Gough who turned 85 on Tuesday.

Mumford has raced horses for many years and is best 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 Billy Baker and went on to earn more than $1 million in prize money with 16 wins and 14 placings from 85 starts. 

“Bill has got a good knack of winning with cheap horses and he’s done it again with Constant Flight who he bought for $15,000,” Gough said.