Interesting stories emerge from cup meeting

Vladking ridden by Jackson Murphy strides to the line to win the Race Two, the SubZeo Air Conditioning Maiden.

By Casey O'Connor

The win of Tears of Joy was the big story out of Saturday’s Warwick Cup meeting along with the dead heat between rocky Nugget and Wait a Minute in the Newmarket Handicap.

However, there was an interesting back story to the winner of the SubZero Air conditioning maiden, Vladking ($4) who was ridden by Jackson Murphy.

The well-bred six-year-old was lining up for his 27th start as a maiden but he had in fact previously won a maiden in country Victoria back in 2020.

At just his fifth race start, and under a previous trainer, Vladking won a Packenham maiden only to return a positive swab and was stripped of his win.

The horse was having just his second start since joining the Ken Jones stable in Toowoomba.

Vladking, who is now owned by Katrina Jones, put the writing on the wall only a couple of weeks ago when he finished sixth in a Doomben maiden.

He can now lay claim to being one of the few horses to have won two maidens.

The nine-event card in Warwick opened with the running of the Ranbuild Scotty Ellis Memorial maiden.

The Toowoomba trained Devils Rite ($2.40f) got punters off to a great start with a narrow win over Red Dress ($9) and One’s Enough ($2.80)

The $2.90 favourite Pizzo was well ridden by Cecily Eaton to win the next, the Gross Wholesale Meats Maiden.

Close finishes looked to be the order of the day. Oakey galloper The Carpenter made it four favourites from four races with narrow win in the next race, the Hire Solutions handicap.

Under hard riding from Nathan Day the gelding narrowly beat Sistine Avenue ($8) and Parlour ($21).

There was plenty of cheering from the mounting yard when locally trained Ruby Rush saluted in the Warwick Vet Clinic handicap.

It was another nail-biting finish with the Gino Barbierato trained mare who was ridden by apprentice Ty wheeler just pipped the $3.90 favourite, Inside Information.

The judges could not separate Rocky Nugget and Wait A Minute in the Newmarket.

Connections sharing the spoils after the dead heat result but not quite sure what to do with the trophy.

No photo was required in the next race the Warwick Hotel benchmark 55 as Festival Prince ($2.10f) raced away for a clear win.

Trained by Matt Kropp and well ridden by Jasmine Cornish, the four-year-old was having just his fourth start and is still learning his trade.

His owners Mr and Mrs Kelly who bred the horse had plenty to be excited about.

Festival Prince has now won three races from his four starts.

It was no surprise to see another Matt Kropp galloper in the winner’s circle after the Warwick Cup as Tears of Love ($3.80 f) continued Kropp’s excellent record in the Warwick Cup.

The big program wrapped-up with the Hutchison Quarries benchmark 60 handicap.

Finally, there was some late reprieve for bookmakers who copped a caning throughout the day with many favourites getting the chocolates.

Starting at $7 the Barry Lockwood trained Cairndow scored a convincing win over $2.90 favourite Mojo Bay.

Training honours at the Cup meeting belonged to Matt Kropp with a win in the Cup, a dead heat in the Newmarket and the win of Festival Prince.