It was in early April when apprentice Lek Maloney was dislodged from his mount Barocco Bar during the Alice Springs Turf Club’s Cup Carnival at Pioneer Park.
The 20-year-old escaped injury, and on Saturday he teamed up with the Dan Morgan-trained four-year-old gelding to win the $30,000 Tennant Creek Cup (1600m).
For Maloney, it was the biggest of his 25 career wins since debuting in October 2022.
Parents, Andrew and Rose were trackside as Lek guided Barocco Bar, a $12 hope with the top online bookmakers to win by half a length over Command King with Great Buy close in third.
“We’re so happy for Lek, it’s just so exciting – the highs and lows of racing following his mishap on Barocco Bar in Alice,” Andrew said.
In 15 starts for Morgan, the son of Epaulette boasts four wins and four minor placings, and it was following a discussion with owner Andrew Maloney that the Tennant Creek trip eventuated.
“He ran a really nice race a couple of starts back and Andrew’s first words to me were the Tennant Creek Cup,” Morgan, who didn’t make the trip to Hagan Park, said.
“In my opinion, today was his best win – he was terrific, he was tenacious and gave his all.
“The plan was to get him close to the speed so he could utilise his strengths on the testing sand surface.
“He’s a tough horse when he’s on song, he can also show good early pace and really stick to his task.
“Lek rode him an absolute treat and I couldn’t be more proud of them both, that’s my first Country Cup.
“Special mention to my strapper Jess Denton, who took Barocco Bar to Tennant Creek so I could attend to the team here at home.”
Fellow Alice Springs apprentice Dakota Gillett ended the day with a winning treble aboard Protostar ($2.30 fav) and Brat ($1.90 fav) for her father and trainer Terry, as well as She’s Tuff Enuff ($4.40) for trainer Paul Gardner.
Brat, a five-year-old gelding by Reward For Effort, made it seven wins from 22 starts for the Gillett’s by taking out the Denis Staunton Memorial Cup (1200m) – the other feature on the program – by 6.4 lengths.
Protostar decimated his rivals over 1200m (Class 2) by 11.7 lengths.
Gardner finished with a double when She’s Tuff Enuff narrowly won the 1000m maiden before $26 outsider Hey Bull (Paul Denton) won his first race for the stable when he won over 1450m (0-64) by 8.6 lengths.
Gardner (21) has extended his lead in the Alice Springs and Provincial trainers’ premiership from Kerry Petrick (18.5) and Gillett (18).
Denton (20) is ahead of Jessie Philpot (15) and Gillett (15) in the jockeys’ premiership.
Top End trainer Phil Cole and Red Centre jockey Ianish Luximon combined as Plague Stone ($5) saluted by 1.6 lengths over 1100m (BM54).
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