Kobo Recalls Glory Days for Russo Boys

Mr Kobo’s all-the-way win in a low key maiden at Cluden on Friday turned back the clock to heady days in racing in the 1990s for Ingham canefarmer Joe Russo and his brothers Charlie and Angelo.

The win was Joe’s first as a newly minted trainer and brought back memories of some of the big wins the brothers landed at Cluden in the 1990s when Charlie was the trainer.

Joe, who turns 73 this year, celebrated the win with his first beer in 16 years.

“I’ve had a license for about three months and this is my first winner as a trainer. It’s a good feeling,” Joe said.

“Mr Kobo has always shown promise at home and just didn’t have things go right for him in Cairns last start.

“His work at home was beautiful, A1, coming into this. 

“We said we won’t know what we have to do with him if he can’t win today.

“He couldn’t have been any better.”

Mr Kobo was having his eighth race start on Friday and produced a tough performance from an outside barrier to easily win the Vale Dean Holland 3YO Mdn Hcp (1200m).

The gelding’s triumph in the distinct Russo livery of red jacket and blue sleeves was a big boost for Joe, the senior of the Russo brothers, who has suffered ill-health in recent years.

“I’ve had a couple of scares but come through them with flying colours and the horses have given me a big lift,” Joe said.

“I’m there every morning and afternoon no matter what. I just drop everything on the farm and get away to the horses and it feels great.

“Over the years we’ve had some good horses. Provincia, Mr Rogers, Regal Demon, he won a Cleveland Bay, and Call Me Charlie. 

“We won a lot of races. One year we had four horses in on the Friday and won all four and they raced on the Saturday as well and we had another two in and they won. Six winners in two days.

“A big part of it was Bobbie Warren, who was a top jockey. We took him to Brisbane for his first metropolitan win on Regal Demon.

“That boy could have ridden winners in Sydney he was that good.”

Mr Rogers was a star for the Russos, winning 13 races in the north and showed his class with wins in Brisbane and Sydney. 

He was at the centre of major media coverage when, under the care of Jack Denham in Sydney in 1997, he won in class record time at Canterbury and provided jockey great Jim Cassidy with his first winner back from a lengthy disqualification over the controversial jockey tapes.

The Russos only returned to racing in the last few years after an extended break and train a small string of horses at the Ingham race track.

Pictured: Mr Kobo and the Russo brothers in the mounting yard after his maiden win at Cluden last week. 

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