Rewald rolls into Barcaldine with strong team

By Glenn Davis

Blackall’s David Rewald has won a host of country Cups during his years of training and is hoping for more success in the state’s Central West later this year.

The 65-year-old Rewald was also a former top country jockey and only retired from the saddle three years ago. 

As a jockey, Rewald won Cup races at Birdsville, Betoota, Thangool, Longreach and Yeppoon, among others.

Rewald, who had his first race ride as an amateur jockey when he was 15, heads to Barcaldine with seven starters on Tuesday.

He will be triple handed in the Open Handicap over 1000 metres with Flying Rupert, Heyington Station and Moorabinda Mick, but he has named his in-form Inquisitive Legend in the Class 6 Plate as his best hope.

Rewald has had starters in the three major country features: the Country Cups Challenge, Country Stampede and Battle of the Bush, which are staged in Brisbane every year.

“Unfortunately, I’ve never had a winner in any of them yet and at this stage, I don’t have one good enough to go this year,” Rewald said.

However, Rewald does believe Inquisitive Legend can earn a campaign at some of the upcoming country features around the Central West.

Inquisitive Legend has started seven times for Rewald since transferring from the Rodney Hay stable for two wins and four placings.

A five-year-old daughter of Zoustar, Inquisitive Legend is coming off a last start second to the Patrick O’Toole-trained Bold Smuggler in a 1200 metre Class 6 Plate at Barcaldine on May 2. 

“She’ll go okay in this and she’s the best horse I’ve got in the stable,” Rewald said. 

“She’s still only a Class 4 horse and I’m trying to place her in the best races which is why she’s running in a Class 6 Plate.

“I think she’ll go well again and if she does, I’ll aim her for some of the country Cup races out this way later on.”

Of his trio of runners in the Open Handicap, Rewald rates Flying Rupert as his best hope.

Flying Rupert had his first start for Rewald when resuming behind the Toni Schofield-trained Rush Hour in a 1050 metre Open Handicap at Blackall on April 18.

“It was an okay run as he was held up for a while,” Rewald said.

"He’s been hard to place in his races, so I might try to step him up to 1200 metres later on.”

Rewald has ruled out veteran sprinter Heyington Station chasing the Country Cups Challenge Final in December after finishing among the tailenders in last year’s feature at Doomben.

“He’s not as good as he once was and is a nine-year-old now,” Rewald said.

“This race will probably be too short for him as he wants 1400 metres or more.

“He wasn’t good enough in last year’s Country Cups Challenge and father time is catching up on him.”