Choir Boy aiming to strike a winning note at Innisfail

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Janel Ryan believes she has a horse that can give her another Banana Cup victory at Innisfail on Saturday.

Ryan has won a host of country Cup races in North and Far North Queensland and claimed the Banana Cup in 2021 with Tutelage.

She is pinning her hopes this year on Choir Boy, who won last year’s Laura Cup.

“He won the Laura Cup last year and is racing well again now," she said. 

Choir Boy is raced in a big ownership group headed by Cairns bookmaker Brian Jorgensen, his son Chris and a large syndicate of Port Douglas owners.

An eight-year-old son of Divine Prophet, Choir Boy finished fourth in the 2024 Banana Cup and is coming off a last start win in a 1900 metre Open Handicap at Cairns on July 23.

It was the gelding’s first win since his Laura Cup triumph 14 months ago.

Choir Boy is one of eight horses in work for Ryan at Tolga on the Atherton Tablelands and has been in the winner’s stall on six occasions from 36 starts since joining her stable.

The American-born Ryan has won a host of country Cups, including the Cairns Cup, which she has in her sights for Choir Boy later this month.

“I’ve won quite a few Cairns Cups, Cairns and Townsville Amateur’s Cups as well as the Laura and Banana Cups and some others,” Ryan said.

Ryan is confident Choir Boy can make it back-to-back wins despite his lack of success in two starts at Innisfail.

“He’s only had two starts at Innisfail and one was when he ran fourth in the Banana Cup on a heavy track two years ago,” Ryan said.

“He’s a lot more mature now and I think he’ll be very competitive this time.”

Ryan plans to give Choir Boy another opportunity to head to Brisbane for the Country Cups Challenge Final at Doomben in December.

“I took him to Brisbane for the race a couple of years ago when he finished fourth on a heavy track,” Ryan said.

“If he runs well in the Cairns Cup, the plan is to try to qualify him again and go back to Brisbane.”