QUEENSLAND RACING INTEGRITY COMMISSION
 
STEWARDS REPORT
 
TOWNSVILLE TURF CLUB
 
TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2026
 
 
WEATHER – Fine
TRACK RATING – Soft 5; Upgraded to Good 4 at 11:30am
RAIL – True Entire Course
PENETROMETER – 5.96
 
OFFICIALS
 
Chairman of Stewards – Ross Neal
Stewards – Darryl Griffiths; Sam Nosworthy and Peter Warren.
 
GENERAL
 
1.    Stewards permitted the following overweights:
Race 1. No 10. Lacey Morrison (MERSEY LASS) +1.0kg
Race 2. No 13. Ben Kennedy (HEART OF VIENNA) +0.5kg
Race 4. No 12. Jason Babarovich (INALA ATICUS) +1.0kg
Race 5. No 10. Julie Busittin (TARONG) +0.5kg
Race 5. No 11. Jason Babarovich (MR FERRARI) +1.0kg
 
2.    Stewards upgraded the track rating to Good (4) at 11:30am.
 
 
Race 1: THE FASHION GALLERY QTIS 3YO MAIDEN Handicap 1000M
 
FIDDICHFIRE – Was declared a late scratching at 12:34pm after refusing to load into the barriers. Prior to the declaration of correct weight, Stewards ordered that all bets placed on FIDDICHFIRE be refunded with the following deductions to apply:
 
1st BOUDICA QUEEN 12c win, 11c place
2nd DIVINE SOUL 11c place
3rd WORTHY BELLE 11c place
 
Trainer Gavin Kinlyside was advised that FIDDICHFIRE must obtain a further barrier certificate prior to racing again.
 
DIVINE SOUL – Hampered leaving the 600 metres and taken wider; Apprentice Mitch Goring lost his whip nearing the 100 metres.
 
WICKED WILLOW – Slow to begin.
 
SIXTY NINE GRANGE – Raced wide in the early stages.
 
WHISPERS OF ZIANN – Bumped on jumping. Laid out rounding the turn near the 600 metres.
 
WORTHY BELLE – Began very awkwardly and jumped out, bumping WHISPERS OF ZIANN.
 
SQUADRONS – Shifted in leaving the 100 metres when insufficiently clear of MERSEY LASS, resulting in that runner being steadied. Rider Isabella Teh was reprimanded under AR131(a) and advised to exercise greater care when shifting ground.

MERSEY LASS – Blundered shortly after the start. Checked approaching the 600 metres when SQUADRONS (Isabella Teh) shifted in when insufficiently clear. DIVINE SOUL, which was following, was hampered in consequence. Rider Isabella Teh pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding under AR131(a) and, after consideration of penalty, her licence to ride in races was suspended for seven days, commencing at midnight on 3 November 2026 and expiring at midnight on 10 November 2026. Steadied leaving the 100 metres when SQUADRONS shifted in to improve. Had difficulty obtaining clear running over the final 100 metres.
 
 
Race 2: THE VILLE CLASS 3 Plate 1000M
 
CANNY PROSPECT – Raced wide with cover throughout.
 
SMART MISSION –Checked and lost ground nearing the 800 metres when DEVINE FORCE (Lauren Guernier) shifted in when insufficiently clear. Apprentice Lauren Guernier pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding under AR131(a) and, after consideration of penalty, her licence to ride in races was suspended for 11 days, commencing at midnight on 3 November 2026 and expiring at midnight on 14 November 2026.
 
BRAVE MISSILE – Shifted out on jumping bumping with HEART OF VIENNA. Raced wide with cover throughout.
 
EXCEEDINGLY BRAZEN – Bumped leaving the 850 metres.
 
EXTRA FREE – Slow to begin. Raced keenly in the early stages. Held up for clear running in the early part of the home straight.
 
SPIRIT OF MAC – Raced wide without cover throughout.
 
DEVINE FORCE – Laid out leaving the 850 metres, bumping with EXCEEDINGLY BRAZEN. When questioned regarding the performance, Apprentice Lauren Guernier stated that DEVINE FORCE travelled fairly throughout however when pressured had failed to respond and was disappointing.
 
BOOMIOUS – Slow to begin.
 
HEART OF VIENNA – Shifted in on jumping bumping with BRAVE MISSILE.
 
 
Race 3: WIN NETWORK OPEN Handicap 1000M
 
ROWEINER’S DANCE – Became badly unbalanced shortly after the start when OCTAVIAN TREASURE was taken out onto its hindquarters by RUSSIAN MINT, which shifted out abruptly.
 
RUSSIAN MINT –Shifted out abruptly on jumping, taking OCTAVIAN TREASURE out onto the hindquarters of ROWEINER’S DANCE, resulting in ROWEINER’S DANCE becoming badly unbalanced and OCTAVIAN TREASURE losing ground. Raced keenly in the early stages. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance, apprentice Julie Busuttin was unable to offer any explanation.
 
FLYING SHAMUS – Was a late scratching at 10:40am after trainer Ms. Jennifer Hadfield’s transportation experienced mechanical difficulties while en route to the race meeting.
 
OCTAVIAN TREASURE – Began awkwardly then hampered shortly after. Raced keenly in the early stages.
 
 
Race 4: TOWNSVILLE AUTO GROUP BENCHMARK 55 Handicap 1200M
 
BOVIDAE – Fractious in the barriers prior to the start. Laid in when rider Aidan Holt changed whip hands leaving the 200 metres.
 
SUGARFIRE – Raced keenly in the early stages.
 
BRAZEN BRECCIA – Was a late scratching at 10:40am after trainer Ms. Jennifer Hadfield’s transportation experienced mechanical difficulties while enroute to the race meeting.
 
ELECTROMAGNETIC – Slow into stride. On returning to scale, rider Denicious Smith reported that his mount had stood on his left foot when dismounting.
 
FORMAL AFFAIR – Blundered on jumping. On returning to scale, rider Ben Kennedy reported some soreness in his left arm as a result of BOVIDAE, which was in an adjacent stall, was fractious in the barriers.
 
INALA ATICUS – Jumped out abruptly at the start, taking ELECTRIC BRAE, which was checked, out onto the hindquarters of FORMAL AFFAIR, which became briefly unbalanced. Raced keenly in the early and middle stages. Held up for clear running rounding the home turn and for the majority of the home straight, and consequently went to the line without being fully tested.
 
OCTOPOLIS – Blundered badly on jumping however recovered quickly. Raced greenly under pressure in the home straight and nearing the 200 metres shifted in.
 
ELECTRIC BRAE - Checked shortly after the start when taken out onto the hindquarters of FORMAL AFFAIR by INALA ATICUS, which jumped out abruptly.
 
 
 
Race 5: THE NEWMARKET HOTEL BENCHMARK 62 Handicap 1400M
 
MISSION HOUSE – Crowded for room nearing the 1000 metres when racing to the inside of TARONG, which was improving forward to lead. Apprentice Julie Busuttin was reprimanded under the provisions of AR 131(a) and firmly reminded of her obligations when crossing.
 
ELLIS BEACH – Eased passing the 150 metres and returned to the enclosure displaying lameness in the off foreleg. A post-race veterinary examination revealed lameness in the off fore fetlock. Trainer Georgie Holt advised Stewards that she intended to recommend to connections that the gelding be retired from racing. Notwithstanding this advice, Stewards directed that ELLIS BEACH would require a veterinary clearance prior to racing again.
 
RASHFORD – Shifted out to improve leaving the 350 metres resulting in MANHATTAN’S having to be momentarily steadied.
 
DARTS DALY – Blundered badly on jumping, resulting in its head contacting the racing surface in the nasal region. Returned to the mounting yard with blood present in both nostrils. Following a veterinary examination, Stewards were satisfied that the bleeding was attributable to external trauma sustained at the start and, consequently, no further action was taken.
 
MANHATTAN’S – Steadied momentarily leaving the 350 metres when awkwardly placed near the heels of RASHFORD, which shifted out to improve.Shifted ground outwards nearing the 200 metres to continue to improve.
 
 
 
 
STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY
 
Summary of action concerning licensees
 
Suspensions
Race 1 – Isabella Teh – AR131(a) – Careless riding near the 600 metres – Seven days (4–10 November 2026 inclusive).
Race 2 – Apprentice Lauren Guernier – AR131(a) – Careless riding near the 800 metres – Eleven days (4–14 November 2026 inclusive).
 
Reprimands
Race 1. Rider Isabella Teh – [AR131(a)] – shifting ground 100 metres.
Race 5. Apprentice Julie Busuttin – [AR131(a)] – shifting ground 1,000 metres.
 
 
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses
 
Horses swabbed pre-race
SIXTY NINE GRANGE, WORTHY BELLE, MERSEY LASS, SMART MISSION, EXCEEDINGLY BRAZEN, SOUTH BULLAWAY, ROWEINER’S DANCE, BOVIDAE, SPIRIT OF GIVING, ELECTROMAGNETIC, ELLIS BEACH, MANHATTAN’S
 
Horses swabbed post-race
All winners
 
Warnings/bars
Race 1. FIDDICHFIRE – Refused to load – Must obtain further barrier certificate.
Race 5. ELLIS BEACH – Lame in the off-fore fetlock – Veterinary clearance required.
 
Late scratchings
Race 1. No 1. FIDDICHFIRE – Refused to load @ 12:34pm
Race 3. No 6. FLYING SHAMUS – Vehicle breakdown @ 10:40am
Race 4. No 3. BRAZEN BRECCIA – Vehicle breakdown @ 10:40am
 
 
The matters contained within this Stewards report may be subject to external review.  The Racing Appeals Panel manages external reviews and the Racing Appeals Panel publishes its decisions on its website.
 
This report and the Stewards Comments for this meeting may be amended at any time, at the sole discretion of the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) Stewards as races are reviewed.