A ferocious storm brought a premature end to the planned Wondai race meeting on October 19.
Officials planned to stage five races but only the Maiden Plate (1100m) was decided before the track was lashed by a thunder storm.
Stewart Kym Daly has been reported as saying the track was "completely washed out".
The only race to be run was won by Hard Enough, trained at Booval by Darren Evans and ridden for him by Kelly Gates. They beat Inside Information (Stephanie Lacy) and Wicked Girl (Rob Faehr).
Bush marvel Fab's Cowboy added to connections' trophy cabinet with victory in the Strathmore Cup (1400m) in Blackall.
Ridden by Paul Randall, for the Miles-based trainer Bevan (Billy) Johnson, Fab's Cowboy had more than two lengths spare over his rivals at the end. Second spot was taken by Bongo (Brooke Richardson), finishing a bit over three lengths in front of Heroism (Stanley Watkin) in third place.
Fab's Cowboy has developed an imposing record with 34 wins and 15 minor placings from his 75 starts.
The Strathmore doubled as a qualifier for the Country Cups Challenge, an event worth $105,000 to be run at Doomben on November 30 and means Fab's Cowboy might get another chance in the capital.
Identical lures have been dangled ahead of the Atherton galloper We Just Love It and Toowoomba's Splitz after their respective wins in similar qualifiers in Innisfail and Stanthorpe.
The Janel Ryan-trained, Robert Thompson-ridden We Just Love It (favourite at $2.20) was a comfortable winner of the Innisfail Cup (2000m), beating Mustarrid (Mark Elliott) and Set The Bar High (Wanderson D'Avila).
We Just Love It was one leg of a successful quadrella on the Innisfail card for Thompson, who has ridden more winners than any other jockey in Australia's long turf history. He also won on The Frontier, Polar Blast and Narda Shar.
A clever ride by Noriyuki Masuda helped Splitz to an easy Stanthorpe Cup (1400m) success.
Splitz burst from the barriers and momentarily led before being eased into third spot by Masuda, who waited until the approach to the home bend before making his winning move.
As the field turned the final corner, Masuda sooled Splitz ($6) towards the leading division and they hit the front just as the field topped the rise about 280m out from the finish.
They strolled home well clear of Marlahn (Heather Poland, $8)) and Mail Escort (Leanne McCoy, $2.50 favourite).
At Mitchell, it was a girls day out with the five races won by female jockeys - Tessa Townsend (Denman Dreaming in the Benchmark 55 and Whipped Cream in the Trading Post), Minonette Kennedy (Sidina in the Maiden Plate and Money Ad in the Booringa Cup) and Anna Bakos (The Consigliere in the Benchmark 60).
Kennedy replaced Dakota Graham, who was meant to ride at the meeting.
Mum and son Denise and Dan Ballard dominated at Mt Isa, sharing in a treble through Moore Alpha, Brave Jewel and Clarion.
Fluidity (Scott Sheargold) defended home territory to score a strong, if narrow win in the Charters Towers Amateurs Cup (1800) for the John Barr stable. Starting favourite at $2, Fluidity beat Luvya Beak and Elle A Walking.
Another local trainer, Ben Williams, gave Charters Towers more reason to smile when he provided the quinella in the Maiden Plate (Kiss Me Later and Mountain Halo) and Benchmark 60 (Boyer and Molongle Magic).
Rockhampton jockey John Stephens took honours at Thangool with a riding double courtesy of the Jason Devine-trained Hulk Henry and Special Recruit for Roma mentor Barry Fitzgerald.
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
