Quothquan starts Crowns chase

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba hobby trainer John Dann hopes stable flag bearer Quothquan can win the Rockhampton Cup on Saturday, but has reservations about whether the gelding will bid for a special bonus during the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival. 

The new Great Northern Crowns bonus initiative will see $500,000 awarded to any horse that can secure all four major Cups races held across Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns. 

In addition, a bonus of $250,000 will be awarded to any horse that can secure three out of the four staying races.

“It’ll be a bit like winning Gold Lotto as by the time Quothquan got to Cairns he’d have a massive weight,” Dann said.

“But, we’ll take it race-by-race and see how he pulls up after each race if he wins.

“At this stage, he’ll probably press on to Mackay and Townsville, but I’m not so sure whether he’ll go to Cairns.”

Quothquan gave Dann his first Townsville Cup victory with his first starter in the race last August.

It was part of Dann’s winter to remember after he claimed the biggest win of his lengthy training career when talented mare Adiella won the National Classic at Eagle Farm in June of last year. 

The National Classic carried a purse of $500,000, which is the same prizemoney as the Great Northern Crowns bonus.

Unfortunately, Dann missed a bid to train his first Group 1 when Adiella suffered a leg infection and was scratched from last year’s Tatt’s Tiara at Eagle Farm.

Dann expects a strong performance from Quothquan in the 1600 metre Rockhampton Cup.

The rising seven-year-old surprised Dann when he scored a first-up win in a 1350 metre Class 6 Handicap at Ipswich on June 20.

“The win did surprise me as I thought he went into the race a little underdone,” Dann said.

“He had missed a bit of work with all the rain we had at the time and he missed a few jump-outs and trials.

“But, everything seemed to fall into place for him at Ipswich.”

Dann, who runs a spare parts trucking business at Toowoomba while training a team of five as a hobby, has booked Dylan Turner to ride Quothquan in the Rockhampton Cup.

Turner won last year’s Townsville Cup on Quothquan, but missed the winning ride at Ipswich last start.

“Dylan had other commitments at the Gold Coast that day, so I put apprentice Jace McMurray on him at Ipswich,” he said.

Dann believes the Rockhampton Cup has attracted a strong field.

“It looks a strong race again and there are quite a few good chances," he said.