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Young local trainer Luke Pepper is unlikely to enjoy more memorable race days than last Monday's Narooma Cup meeting at Moruya.
Photo by Bronwen Healy
Pepper won his second successive $22,000 Narooma Cup but the win by Quichang only added to his enjoyment after he was reunited with the champion sprinter Takeover Target in a guest appearance at the meeting by the horse and his popular owner-trainer Joe Janiak.
Takeover Target was bred at Moruya's Meringo Stud and Pepper was working at the stud when the great gelding was born there in 2000.
He later became Takeover Target's trackwork rider at Quenbeyan and accompanied him on several of his overseas campaigns.
Pepper and Takeover Target were given a rousing reception by a big holiday crowd of more than 4000 when he rode the champion in an easy exhibition gallop over 400m on the course proper.
Janiak, now based at Coffs Harbour with Takeover Target spending his retirement on a farm near Grafton, had the champion in great condition for Monday's guest appearance after an 11-hour float trip on Sunday.
'He's pretty fit. We brought him in from the paddock on Tuesday and by Friday he was right on his toes," Janiak said.
"He still enjoys going to the races and he knows what it's all about."
Pepper branched out as a trainer while Takeover Target was still racing, starting off in Canberra before returning to Moruya where he now runs a stable of 16 horses.
He was the toast of his home town for the second successive year when Quichang kept up his remarkable in his home town's feature races.
He won the Narooma Cup-Moruya Cup double last year with Ilringya and now has his sights on a repeat after Quichang's game win in this year's edition of the Narooma Cup (1600m).
Ilringya started favourite to make it a Narooma Cup double on Monday but could finish only fifth with both horses set for the Moruya Cup over the longer trip of 1900m on January 23.
Janiak has a busy schedule ahead with Takeover Target as he is booked for more guest appearances in Melbourne, Tasmania and South Australia.
