Finally a big race victory arrived for trainer Joe McFadyen when Nangar Jim scored an impressive victory in the Group 2 East Maitland Bowling Club Maitland Gold Cup Final on Friday night.
In the past 12 months McFadyen’s team has enjoyed tremendous success and he has had starters in many feature race finals.
He has had Hurricane Fury in the Black Top Final, Taree Cup Final and Chief Havoc Final, Sandstorm Rico in the Middle Distance Championship Final, Nangar Jim was runner-up in the Goulburn Cup Final, and back in April he had Belmont Bullet in the final of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg.
But, until last night, a big race victory had eluded him. Not anymore.
Showing good speed from the outside draw, Nangar Jim was able to carve across and lead going into the first turn, and once in front the race was his, going on to win the Cup by five lengths from Nad Al Sheba, with War Hawk half a head back in third.
The time of 24.77s is a new record mark for the Cup, eclipsing the 24.85s set by Good Odds Cash last year.
It was an emotional McFadyen after the victory.
“I'm not very often short for words. It’s hard to describe. It’s a dream come true literally. Years and years of hard work, ups and downs, thinking is this all worth it, then you have a good run, get a dog like him and now I’m a Group winning trainer,” he said.
“We didn’t think he was this good. We've lifted the hurdles for him ever so slowly, and he just keeps jumping them.
“I don't know, I think he missed a little bit tonight and just the sheer speed that he's got. He was just good enough to get up on the outside and chop them off on the first turn and luck’s a fortune and away he went.
“Thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way. I'm just so thankful for the life that I live with the dogs and get to do it, that in itself is a dream come true. I’m just ever so humble.”
Just over a month ago Rinsed The Lot was still being educated. On Friday night, having just turned 19 months, he maintained his unbeaten record with a stunning performance to win the Ladbrokes Future Stars Maiden Final.
After a dazzling 22.34s heat win last week, Rinsed The Lot improved that mark to 22.17s in the final, careering away for a six length win over Starlight Banner with Furious a further ¾ length away in third.
For context, the winning time was two lengths faster than the time run in 2017 by 2018 Million Dollar Chase third placegetter Sky Wave, a length and a half faster than the time 2022 MDC runner-up Zipping Kyrgios posted in 2020, and a length quicker than 2018 Future Stars winner Good Odds Harada who of course would win the MDC the following year.
Strangely though it was not a race record. That mark is held by Michelle Sultana’s previous winner of the Future Stars, Drink Shoeys who won the race in 2019 in blistering 22.06s.
“He always showed us he had some ability, and bringing him here on trial days you never get the same time on a trial day as you do on raceday,” Michelle said.
“It’s very exciting. He’s a very young dog that was probably just his fifth go over the 400m, so there’s exciting times ahead.”
Rinsed The Lot is a son of Barcia Bale and Mrs Mouse, making him a half-brother to Fernando Hunter (by Fernando Bale), winner of the $100,000 Masters Meteor in October at Wentworth Park.
