Dann captures first Townsville Cup with Quothquan

By Glenn Davis

It’s been a year to remember for Toowoomba hobby trainer John Dann after Quothquan gave him one of his biggest wins of his career with his first Townsville Cup at Cluden Park on Saturday.

Dann claimed the biggest win of his more than four-decade training career when talented mare Adiella won the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic at Eagle Farm in June.

It was then hoped Adiella would give Dann his first Group 1 starter in the Tatt’s Tiara at Eagle Farm, but she was scratched after suffering a leg infection two days before the fillies and mares' feature.

Dann’s Townsville Cup win was also a memorable moment for Toowoomba-trained gallopers after the Mark Goodwin-trained Warp Speed won last year’s $150,000 feature.

It was also Toowoomba’s third Townsville Cup victory in the past 10 years following Honey Toast’s win in 2015.

Quothquan, ridden by Dylan Turner, set a new track record in the Townsville Cup with a dominant performance, storming home from last in the middle stages to down a brave Sir Grace.

For Dann, it was a fitting result as it made amends for Quothquan’s Mackay Cup defeat last month when he jumped from a wide gate to finish fourth behind the Aiden Nunn-trained Hype.

Dann keeps a small team of horses in work while he concentrates running his spare parts trucking business from his hometown on Queensland’s Darling Downs.

The 64-year-old had never had a previous Townsville Cup starter and had only been to Cluden Park once when he prepared The Tenor for the Townsville Lightning in 2021.

Dann admitted it was never his plan for Quothquan to get so far back over the 2000 metre trip.

“They went crazy up front which is why they ran a track record,” Dann said.

“He’s got a good turn of foot, so I wasn’t really concerned when he got so far back as his jockey knew what he was doing.

“It’s been a good year winning those two big races, but you get a run with bad horses then you can a get run with half decent horses.”

Quothquan’s win wasn’t enough to continue his North Queensland campaign with Dann ordering an immediate spell for the six-year-old gelding.

It’s also been a memorable year for Cairns trainer Stephen Massingham who claimed his first Cleveland Bay with Speed Legend after a handful of previous attempts.

Massingham, who also won the Townsville trainers’ premiership last season for the first time, paid tribute to winning jockey Ryan Wiggins.

“Ryan has been a huge part of our stable and he rides most of my horses,” Massingham said.

“We wanted Speed Legend to be midfield, but he couldn’t go the early speed and got back to third last.

“It was a terrific ride from Ryan who had to weave his way through the field.”

Massingham now plans to target the Cairns Newmarket with Speed Legend before aiming him for the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival in Brisbane.