Homebred The Hanger Cat Primed to Go from Bush Raider to City Winner
28 November 2024
Every now and then fate will take an unexpected detour – for The Hanger Cat, that detour brought him right back to the trainer who bred him.
The failed sale of Brett Cavanough’s homebred gelding (Duporth out of Cat Tales) has revealed a blessing in disguise, putting together an astonishing preparation that has culminated in a start in this Saturday’s $105,000 XXXX Country Stampede Final at Doomben.
“We bred him ourselves and we were lucky to have him actually,” said Cavanough.
“He was initially sold but the buyer ended up not wanting to pay up for him, so I ended up racing him myself. Worked out all right.”
‘Working out all right’ is a modest understatement from the Scone-based trainer.
In mid-May, Cavanough sent The Hanger Cat as part of a team of six horses to tackle the Western Queensland racing scene.
What was meant to be a one-month hit and run has ended up a six-month journey with the northern team, aside from a brief pitstop home for a top-up trial in October.
Since his first up run at Brewarrina on 18 May, the talented gelding has recorded eight wins and two places from his twelve starts.
The incredible journey has spanned over 2500km between the home base of Scone and the most northern start in Cairns.
In between they’ve had starts in Alpha, Barcaldine, Betoota, Longreach, McKinlay, Roma, and Tambo.
“They just kept winning, we sent a team and they just kept winning,” said Cavanough.
“After he put six together I took him to Cairns and he ran into the best sprinter in North Queensland.
“He just got beat and then he went back and won. He’s done a good job.”
Overall, in his 22 career starts The Hanger Cat has amassed over $159,000 in prize money, primarily on the country circuit.
The $61,000 up for grabs for a win in the XXXX Country Stampede Final would be The Hanger Cat’s biggest pay day by far.
Although, the Doomben final wasn’t always the grand target for Cavanough and his team of travelling raiders.
“Everything just fell into place, I suppose that’s the best way to put it,” he said.
“He kept winning and this race was always there to be targeted, but if I hadn’t gone back to Roma for a qualifying race, he wouldn’t have been eligible.
“I put him back to Roma and he had the hide to win again, and he became eligible for this race and away we went.”
His most recent win, a 1000m trip around Roma on 16 November was a XXXX Country Stampede qualifier and the last opportunity to qualify for a start in the final.
Since September, there has been 16 qualifying races throughout the country circuit and The Hanger Cat hadn’t had a start yet.
Despite the resume, only a win in one of these qualifiers would grant ballot free entry to the final.
The start in Roma was the final opportunity.
The XXXX Country Stampede Final will be contested over 1110m, just about in the middle of The Hanger Cat’s win range this prep of 1000m–1200m.
Premier jockey James Orman has been given the ride and the pair will jump from barrier three.
Despite the recent wet weather and further showers looming, Cavanough doesn’t have any concerns.
“We’re all systems go. We’ve got the right rider, the right barrier, and he goes on all surfaces,” he said.
“I see there’s rain forecast but that doesn’t matter. He could run it up the bitumen. He’s ready to go!”