THE cheering rang loud and clear across the north-west plains – and the Gold Coast – when Moree-owned gelding Awaygoesthebunny landed some hefty bets to win the $120,000 TAB Highway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
A crack at the rich Country Championships series in 2025 now beckons after Awaygoesthebunny overcame a wide barrier to charge down the middle of the track and score easily. The Brett Cavanough-trained gelding, backing up from a strong win at Mudgee last Sunday, was plonked into $8.50 after as much as $31 was bet when markets opened on Wednesday.
Formerly trained at Moree by Peter Sinclair, Awaygoesthebunny is owned by Sinclair’s sister, Jacque Towns, in partnership with Peter and Sonia Hobday, their children Jason, Amee and Sarah-Jane, Melita Bailey, Barry Hawken, Kevin Baguley, Mick Cikota and Brian Austin.
Cavanough, currently with runners in Cairns after campaigning across outback Queensland where he trained more than 20 winners, said Peter Sinclair deserved all the credit.
“Peter Hobday said he wanted to win a Highway Handicap so I rang him and said, ‘I’ve done my job, you can give him back now’,” Cavanough laughed.
“Thanks has to go to Peter Sinclair. He told the owners to send the horse down to me.
“It was a good win. They went hard early and set it up for him, but he might be a Country Championships horse.”
Awaygoesthebunny races clear to win the $120,000 Highway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday (Image courtesy of Bradley Photos).
Ridden by Tom Sherry, Awaygoesthebunny scored by a half-length from Marc Quinn’s Agirlsbestfriend ($8) with Jacob Perrett’s Wiggles ($8.50) two lengths away third. Part-owner Peter Hobday was at the Gold Coast playing in the mixed State pairs lawn bowls championships when Awaygoesthebunny gave him his first city winner.
“I was really impressed with the way he won. We always knew he was up to that class but to come from that barrier (14) was a top effort,” Hobday said.
Contrary to popular belief, Awaygoesthebunny is not named after the South Sydney Rabbitohs, despite Hobday being an avid supporter.
The horse is named in honour of Hobday’s great mate, the late Billy Fing, which makes Saturday’s city win even more special.
“Billy was my offsider and went with me everywhere. Every time he got in the car, it didn’t matter whether it was four in the morning or 10 o’clock, he’d put on his seat-belt and say ‘away goes the bunny from the black-soil plains’ as I’d start driving off,” Hobday smiled.
“After Billy passed away, and Pete (Sinclair) and Amee (Hobday) picked out the horse at the sales, I said I wanted to name the horse after Billy.
“He was a great mate, and this win’s for him,” Hobday said.
Words: Bill Poulos
Image courtesy of Bradley Photos
