Sport
13 November, 2024
Triple treat for Orr as apprentice defies Qantas delay to dominate
Tom Orr was also denied an extra winner because of the flight delay.
Only Qantas could stop these two apprentices from complete domination as they raced from Mount Isa Airport to Buchanan Park on Monday afternoon in time to ride the last five winners on the card.
Beaudesert-based Tom Orr won three races, while Chloe Lowe had a double in what was a nerve-wracking day for the young duo.
It was Orr’s first treble, although it could be argued he was denied a fourth win.
Because of Qantas’ flight delay, which ended up leaving more than five hours after its scheduled departure, Orr had to be replaced on Atlantic Ridge in the first race.
Mount Isa’s Jason Babarovich picked up the ride and won easily.
“I can’t look back on that but it is what it is,” Orr said.
“I woke up this morning and saw the message that the flight was delayed by about five hours so I went and rode a few in trackwork for the boss.
“Then I got another text to say it was delayed by another hour so I went to the airport and just hoped I’d get there for at least some of my rides. I didn’t think I was going to get there for race three.”
Stewards made the sensible call to delay the third race while Lowe and Orr were ferried from the airport to the racetrack to fulfill their engagements.
It was Lowe who struck first, on the Tanya Parry-trained Rogue N Ready ($4.40) and she would later claim a double on Just Stop It ($1.50).
Orr picked up his three winners on Metal Bar ($1.60) for Denise Ballard, Our Benefit ($5.50) for Parry and Benevento ($1.55) for Jay Morris.
“I’m glad I made it,” Orr said.
“It was definitely the best book of rides I’ve had, especially at a TAB meeting.
“I was disappointed when I saw that I missed out on the first ... the airfare is pretty expensive but there is a good subsidy from Racing Queensland.
“Anything that gets your name out there and gets your experience levels up ... I’m willing to spend time and money to do that.”
Asked if Babaravoich had given him a sling after picking up his ride in the first, Orr was quick to admit the ledger had been squared.
“I might have shortened him up in the sixth race so we might be even,” the apprentice said.
Stewards saw it the same way, too.
Orr was given a seven-day suspension for careless riding as a result of cutting off Babarovich in the early stages of race six.
