Cricket tragic has throw at stumps for Country Cups Challenge Final

By Glenn Davis

Cricket tragic Matthew McGuire is hopeful Mission House can give him his first Country Cups Challenge finalist at Doomben next month when the seven-year-old tackles a qualifier at Ingham on Saturday.

McGuire works as a salesman for a Townsville sporting company but has been a passionate racing enthusiast all his life.

The 33-year-old has been training for seven years while working full time and has built his stable numbers to 15 in work.

“I’ve always been involved in racing in some capacity my whole life as both my mother and father are in the training business,” McGuire said.

McGuire's father Patrick still trains a team of two while his mother, Michelle, no longer trains.

In his spare time, McGuire is an avid cricket participant and spends most weekends playing A Grade for the local Norths Cricket Club.

“I’m a top order batsman for Norths and I’ve played a lot of cricket ever since I played junior cricket,” he said.

“I used to be captain of the A Grade side, but I gave it away when I took up training.”

McGuire has booked Chris Whiteley to partner Mission House in the Country Cups Challenge Qualifier.

Mission House is coming off a last start fifth to the Fred Wieland-trained Manhattan’s in a 1400-metre Benchmark race at Townsville on November 3.

“It was a very good run considering he had some time off with a foot injury and it was his first run back,” McGuire said.

“He knocked up a bit late, but he’s taken a lot of improvement from the run.

“He should run well and be in the top three and if he wins, he’ll go down to Brisbane for the final.

“I’ve tried a few times to get into the Country Cups Challenge Final but never got there.”

McGuire believes Mission House faces strong opposition and would have preferred it to be longer than 1400 metres.

“It’s a tough field and I’ve got to be realistic about his chances,” he said.

“I’d be more confident if it was over 1600 metres, but he’ll still be competitive,” he said.