Cool Bourbski Wins Downcast Newcastle Cup

TRAINER Jason Mackay has claimed a third Newcastle Cup title albeit under sombre circumstances at Ladbrokes Gardens on Friday afternoon.

The Mackay-trained Cool Bourbski won the $25,000-to-the-winner feature but in drama-charged fashion after race leader Ice Cream Story went amiss when appearing all over a winner in the shadows of the post.

The downcast finish to the group 3 feature ensured any post race celebrations were short lived.

Cool Bourbski's victory delivered Mackay a third Newcastle Cup trophy following wins by Zipping Lad in 2011 and Zipping Katelyn in 2017.

Back in 2005, not long after The Gardens opened, Mackay's Group 1 National Distance hero Texas Gold finished third in the inaugural staging of the race behind Poison Ivory.

 

Cool Bourbski's Newcastle Cup triumph continues the remarkable run of recent success Mackay has enjoyed with the daughter of Fernando Bale and Bourbski Fever which is a sister to retired top flight stayer Sunset Bourbski.

In 15 starts for Mackay, the regally bred stayer – purchased primarily for breeding – has won six times with a further six placings with victory in the Grafton Stayers Cup sitting beside Friday's Newcastle Cup trophy.

Her overall career record stands at 64 starts for 16 wins and 18 minors.

On the eve of Friday's Newcastle Cup, Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) announced that Ladbrokes Gardens would host the world's richest staying race next June.

Named ‘The 715' the race will carry a whopping $500,000 to winning connections.

Finishing second in the finale was outsider Nimble Lulu while another outsider Double Bluff finished third.

The winner's time was 41.97, well outside the 41.40 track record Cool Bourbski carved out in her heat, while the margins were 1 ¼ lengths by ¾'s of a length.

Newcastle Cup Honour Roll

2005 Poison Ivory, 2006 Royal Riddle, 2007 Miagi, 2008 Lilley Criminal, 2009 Drill ‘Em, 2010 Dashing Corsair, 2011 Zipping Lad, 2012 Zsa Zsa, 2013 Smart Valentino, 2014 Dusty Moonshine, 2015 Ada Mary, 2016 Melissa's Pride, 2017 Zipping Katelyn, 2018 Poco Dorado, 2019 Just Terms, 2020 Here's Tears, 2021 Cool Bourbski.