The wise head of veteran jockey Rod Quinn was the telling factor in Hurrara taking out the $70,000, Alconex Fire Handicap Bm95 (1100m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday with a ground saving ride log the rails on the Slow 7 track.
The extreme rain storm that dumped 103mm of ran in 24 hours from Wednesday through Thursday temporarily halted trackwork with flooding in the track tunnels when the pumps simply could not keep up with the column of water. The track went to a Heavy 10, but remarkably recovered to be a Slow 7 from the 1200m home and a Heavy 8 for the balance of the course.
Quinn had Hurrara (54kg), trained by Gary Frazer at Hawkesbury, out well from barrier six and positioned on the rails with La Remlap (54kg) and fellow veteran Jim Cassidy outside leading by a length as they went past the 400m.
Entering the main straight there was a divergence of opinion by the two jockeys with Cassidy scouting wider to the middle of the track in search of firmer footing. Quinn stayed right where he and Hurrara were racing and they then settled down to a battle up the straight.
La Remlap was still leading with 300m to run but the mare was not moving away from Hurrara on her inside. Quinn then asked for more effort from Hurrara over the final 100m and the Hussonet gelding was up to the task.
Potions (54kg) and Joao Moreira made a late charge between the two, but Hurrara had the telling strength after the rail hugging ride and secured the win with short-head margin. Hurrara paid $21.40 on NSW TAB.
Potions (Encosta de Lago) pushed through for second with La Remlap (Choisir), the $2.40 favourite, third, the margin a head. The time was 1.04.36 with the final 600m in 34.51.
“I said to Rodney to jump and the track is soft and he will like that and hopefully it would turn his form around,” said Frazer.
“He does not have a bad record when you look at it. He is no star but at this time of year and winter time he is going to win more. For him it would be good if it never stops raining. He just likes the sting out of the ground.
“RM Quinn he has been around here a few times and he knew where he was going. That was good and good for the owner too as they have been good stickers with me,” he said.
“He fought hard at the finish and I got a nice enough run just behind Jim. He settled okay and he fought really hard at the finish. It was a good effort,” said Quinn.
Hurrara is out of the Regal Classic mare Emmaagh and he is raced by long time owners and breeders Geoff White AO and his wife Beryl and their breeding operation Invermein Pty Ltd. The win, Hurrara's sixth from 18 starts, would have been a tonic for Mr White who is not in the best of health.
With six placings Hurrara's stakes are now $219,370.
