AS if winning the $40,000 Birdsville Cup was not enough, Barcaldine trainer Todd Austin had the last laugh at Emerald on September 7.
The Austin stable was the toast of Birdsville after French Hussler scored a thrilling win and six-year-old Arellano flew the flag for the team at Pioneer Park in Emerald.
Ridden by Elyce Smith, Arellano ($13) improved on a previous third at Longreach on August 17 to beat Boingo (Stanley Watkin, $7) and Enemy Of Man (John Stephens, $11) in the Emerald 100 Tickets Handicap (1300m).
Smith was also the winning rider in the preceding event, the CQ Pump & Irrigation Handicap (1200m) when she teamed with Clappers ($5) to beat Shigeru Mahogany by one and a half lengths.
Rockhampton trainer Adrian Coombe and jockey Sonja Wiseman were also tip top form sharing a double through the well-faced Serpenti ($4) in the CTC Electrical Plate (1000m) and Hazar ($1.80) in the Jockey Club Class B Handicap (1200m).