Surprise Rockets to Farewell Win for the Man Behind the Molongles

Punters favourite Molongle Surprise scored a sad but fitting win at Cluden Park on Friday as his highly respected owner was laid to rest in the Burdekin.

Molongle Surprise was backed off the map to start $1.60 favourite and streaked to a brilliant win in the Vale John Forster Hcp (1000m) for a perfect farewell for owner, the late Trevor Davies.

Winning trainer Ben Williams and jockey Graham Kliese both paid tribute to Davies, a grazier and long-time racing man who named his horses after his property near Molongle Creek, south of Home Hill.

“He was always going to win it. It was never in doubt. Trev was flying along with us,” Kliese said.

Williams trained for Davies and his wife Gloria for around 15 years and said he was one of a vanishing breed of old style racing men.

“He was the best owner you could hope for. He let you get on with training the horses. He said to me one day you just tell me what’s happening and you do what you’ve got to do and I’ll be there,” Williams said.

“He was the most loyal, easy going man and nothing upset him.

“He’s been involved in racing for many years. My old man rode for his Uncle Dick, who he used to talk about a lot, and he raced horses over a long time and was a true racing man.

“He’d never fly off the handle about anything, he’d just say oh well there’ll be another race in a couple of weeks and we’ll see how we go.”

Williams is still keen to press on with a Cleveland Bay start for Molongle Surprise despite missing a crucial 1200m lead-up earlier this month.

“I think he could be good over longer. As long as he’s comfortable he’ll run 1200m but I suppose there’s a question mark over 1300m,” he said.

“He’ll need another run. This is the part I’m going to enjoy. He was probably 80 to 85 per cent right today and there’s three races over the next three weeks we’ll look at.”

Cairns trainer Stephen Massingham was thrilled with a winning double with Stats and emerging star Armour Force who secured a guaranteed Townsville Cup start with his win in the Ladbrokes Magnetic Mile.

The Hedley-raced Armour Force, ridden by Jason Taylor, scored a narrow but convincing win over Heirborn and American Saint at his first start beyond 1400m.

“Talking to Jason he said he was strong. He had to make a long sustained run and he won well,” Massingham said.

“He just does what he has to. He doesn’t over exert himself.

“I’ll have a talk to Tom (Hedley) but I’d like to have a crack at the Townsville Cup. If we run he’ll have a couple of gallops at home and go into it without another start.

“There’s always the Cup and amateurs in Cairns as well.”

Massingham was also upbeat about his Cleveland Bay Hcp hopes with former Sydneysider All Time Legend who turned in a flashing second to Molongle Surprise.

All Time Legend will join stablemate Full Recognition on the Cleveland Bay path.

Meantime, trainer Lindsay Hatch may dodge the Townsville Guineas in a fortnight despite Breakwater Boy’s front-running win in the Hygain QTIS 3YO Hcp (1300m).

“I’m not sure about the mile. We might skip the Guineas in Townsville and probably go in the 1500m in Cairns. I think that’ll suit him better on the turning track,” Hatch said.

“Baby Guinness (fifth) was a good run and we might have a go at the mile with her.”

Hatch is delighted with Cup contender American Saint after she got her campaign back on track with her third to Armour Force.

“American Saint went super,” Hatch said.

“We had three inches of rain before her last start when she dropped out and I walked away disappointed but the boys assured me they were spinning their wheels in the going.

“She might run next week in the Winter Cup or go straight into the Townsville Cup.

“She’ll improve out of sight - more than any horse out of that race. She had a good blow. 

“When she won at Eagle Farm over 1800m and ran well next start at Doomben over 10 furlongs that’s when I started to think she could be a cups horse and I put her away for this trip.”

Pictured: Molongle Surprise with jokcey Graham Kliese and trainer Ben Williams after completing a touching tribute win to late owner, Trevor Davies. 

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