Kropp breaks ground with Townsville Cup win

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba's Matt Kropp has won a host of country Cups during his training career, but has broken new ground with his first Townsville Cup victory with Leg Drive last Saturday.

Not only was it Kropp’s first victory in the 2000 metre feature, but it was also the first time he had ventured to Townsville’s Cluden Park.

It was another good result for Toowoomba-trained gallopers following last year’s win by the John Dann-trained Quothquan and Mark Goodwin’s winner Warp Speed, who was successful in the Townsville Cup the previous year.

“I had never had a starter at Townsville before this year, so I brought up a team of five, including one for my son Will,” Kropp said.

“Will’s horse, Sweet Pretender, ran second in the Townsville Guineas and I won the Cup with Leg Drive, so it’s been a good trip.

“Will had Lucky Exchange go north last year, when he ran third in Cairns, but this is the first time I’ve ever taken horses away to Townsville.”

Matt Kropp’s arrival for the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival stemmed from a decision by Leg Drive’s senior part-owner Rob Picking to buy a tried horse from Victoria.

“Rob has been a client of mine for a long time and he’s bought and raced horses with me for many years,” Kropp said.

“He bought Leg Drive for $55,000 specifically to win a country Cup in Queensland.

“He was trained down south by Matt Laurie, but they didn’t think he was up to winning a metro race in Melbourne, so he was offered for sale.”

Kropp was always confident Leg Drive would win following a perfect ride by jockey Tasha Chambers.

“Tash rode him perfectly and obviously she’d done her homework as she had him in fourth place most of the way,” Kropp said.

“It was a good win and he’ll go for a spell now, but I’m not sure where to go with him next campaign.

“He’s not a Magic Millions horse and was bought from the Inglis sales originally.

“I think he can run 2400 metres, so we’ll regroup now and think about some of the Brisbane options in town for him as he’ll get too much weight up north now.”

Leg Drive was having only his fourth start for Kropp, with the Townsville Cup his third win for the Toowoomba conditioner.

“He’s had four starts for me now and has won three times, but when he ran second at the Gold Coast, he was beaten only five millimeters with 62kg,” Kropp said.

Earlier, local trainer Georgie Holt claimed the Cleveland Bay with Tambo’s Justice to give her a fitting farewell before packing her bags to train at the Sunshine Coast later this year.

Tambo’s Justice, ridden by Ashley Butler, proved far superior to the Garnett Taylor-trained Bold Comic, with Lachie Manzelmann’s Red Hot Lizzie in third place.

Holt has won a host of North Queensland feature Cups and sprints over the past decade, but both the Cleveland Bay and Townsville Cup had eluded her until Tambo’s Justice won.

She was a runaway winner in the Townsville trainers’ premiership last season to give her a third title in the past four years.