Justin Stanley has had plenty of joy in the Country Championships in the past and the Dubbo trainer may have uncovered a new contender at Warren on Tuesday.
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The Cattleman’s Handicap was the main event at Warren but the meeting was full of talking points, with The Rouseabout’s win for Stanley one of the major ones.
After going unplaced in seven starts for previous trainer Cindy Alderson, The Rouseabout won in style on debut for Stanley.
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Riding a hot $1.65 favourite, champion jockey Greg Ryan didn’t have to do a whole lot in a commanding one-and-a-third-lengths victory.
“It was a convincing win. He had the form coming into the race and I did expect him to win,” Stanley told Sky Thoroughbred Central after the win.
The Rouseabout had placed at Pakenham and Sale before making the move to Stanley’s stables at Dubbo and the performance at Warren hinted there’s more winners ahead for the three-year-old gelding.
Stanley said he was thankful to owners Don and Jan Grimshaw, people has worked with for a number of years, for giving him the chance with The Rouseabout.
“They keep purchasing nice horses, I’m happy to train them,” he said.
The Grimshaws also own Good Host, who won last year’s Western Districts Qualifier before competing in the rich $500,000 Country Championships final at Royal Randwick.
It followed on from the trip Stanley made with Something Borrowed in 2016.
While not getting too carried away, the Dubbo trainer said he’d like to have a crack again in 2019 with The Rouseabout.
“We’re hoping so but we’ll have to wait and see what time tells. We are hoping so,” he said of getting The Rouseabout to the Country Championships.
The Rouseabout wasn’t the only potential Country Championships runner to emerge at Warren.
A Martin Placepick justified his $2.20 favouritism when claiming his third win in eight starts in the Macquarie Valley Ag Services Country Class 2 Plate (1400m) for Coonamble trainer Cecil Hodgson, while stablemate showed enough promise when running home well for fourth to go down as one to watch.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
