Pat Webster with long-term Battle Of The Bush plans

By Glenn Davis

With two Country Stampede Finals and a Country Cups Challenge crown locked away in his trophy room, Toowoomba’s Pat Webster still has some unfinished business this winter.

Of the three big country features held in Brisbane each year, Webster has won the Country Stampede Final twice as well as a Country Cups Challenge Final.

He claimed the first of the big three with V J Day in the 2021 Country Stampede Final and backed up to win the feature the following year with Dynamic Verse.

In 2024, he claimed the Country Cups Challenge Final with Skyforger who could not defend the title when fifth to Bevan Johnson’s veteran Barcaldine sprinter Caffrey last year.

Missing from Webster’s trophy room is the Battle Of The Bush Final.

Webster went close to completing the country features treble when V J Day finished second to the Olivia Cairns-trained Ammoudi Bay in 2022.

The Toowoomba horseman would love to tackle the Battle Of The Bush with his five-year-old mare That’s An Extra but is unsure whether she can qualify in time for the June feature.

That’s An Extra will head to Dalby on Friday for the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1400 metres.

Webster, who was hospitalised with a heart condition prior to last year’s Country Cups Challenge Final, fears she faces a task to meet the strict qualifying conditions.

“They now need six runs in the country to qualify and I’m not sure I’ll have time with her,” Webster said.

“I’ve learnt from past experience when they needed five country runs to qualify that you need to have had a couple under your belt before the New Year starts.”

A daughter of Kermadec, That’s An Extra is coming off a last start third to the Phillip Cox-trained Take A Picture in a 1300 metre Benchmark race at Toowoomba on January 3.

It followed a narrow win over the Dale Groves-trained Heroic Chief in an 1100 metre Benchmark race at Toowoomba on December 20.

“It’s still an option to get her to the Battle Of The Bush Final and I was happy with her last run,” Webster said.

“The Stampede is probably too short for her and the Country Cups Challenge is too far.

“Her last run was good when she was held up for a run at a crucial time.”

Webster has trained That’s An Extra for her entire 16-start career which has given owner Josh Vickers five wins and three placings.

“Josh is a builder from St George and he did his apprenticeship under me when I was a builder there,” Webster said.

Webster, who turns 50 this year, believes That’s An Extra’s experience at Dalby will be an advantage.

“She’s won at Dalby so I’m expecting her to be very competitive,” he said.

Webster, who watched last year's Country Cups Challenge Final from his lounge room after leaving hospital, is on the mend and prepares a team of 40 with the help of his teenage son Jett.

“I got pneumonia last year, which picked up the heart problem, and I had to have some valves replaced,” he said.

“But, I’m finally coming good and I’m getting better every week.”