Defender ready for Thangool Cup test

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Jamie McConachy is confident of adding his first Thangool Cup to his trophy room with former Victorian galloper The Defender on Saturday.

McConachy has won a host of country Cups, including the Townsville, Rockhampton, Cairns, Winton and Longreach Cups during his long career, but has never had a starter in the Thangool Cup.

"I've been out to Thangool and won races a number of times, but I've never had a starter in the Cup," the Rockhampton conditioner said. 

The Defender will go into the 1400 metre feature in Central Queensland undefeated in two starts for McConachy.

"I bought him for $18,000 off Mark Kavanagh in Melbourne and he’s been a great buy," McConachy said.

"Mark paid around $100,000 for him as a baby, but he never won a race in 16 starts in Victoria.

"As soon as I got him, I spelled him, but I haven't changed much with him.

"I looked at his race videos and he used to get to the lead and want to stop.

"So, I put him in a barrier trial one day and put visors on him and he seemed to go a lot better."

The Defender made his stable debut for McConachy at Emerald last month and easily accounted for his rivals wearing the headgear with a five-length demolition in a Maiden Plate over 1200 metres.

The five-year-old son of Winning Rupert was then taken to Mackay on September 3 and scored another dominant win over the same trip.

McConachy has no concerns stepping up to 1400 metres in the Thangool Cup with The Defender.

"He’s looking for 1400 metres and will love the extra trip," McConachy said.

"He’s done everything right since his last win and never leaves anything in his feed bin.

"Thangool is a tight track, so he'll be handy all the way again and should be hard to beat."

McConachy has battled ill health in recent years, but has beaten everything thrown at him.

"I had a heart attack a few years ago and had a prostate problem, but hopefully I've beaten it after a month of radiation treatment," he said.