3 minute read
Nathan Day has been crowned the top jockey of a popular FNQ race series following a white-hot afternoon at the office on Tuesday.
The 49-year-old has long been a 'FIFO jockey' heading to North and Central Queensland to ride from his Brisbane base.
But, in recent months, the Cleveland Bay-winning hoop has relocated to Cairns and has been a regular at Cannon Park riding work in the morning.
He is reaping the rewards, as well, collecting a quartet of victories on Tuesday at Cairns.
And, in the process, he shot to the lead of the annual Magic Millions Rob Koch Memorial Far North Queensland Up and Coming Stayers Series and took out the prize.
Nathan Day finished on eight points through the eight event series, which was level with leading North Queensland rider Lacey Morrison.
Day was handed the honours on a count back, winning two races in the series compared to Morrison's one.
The veteran rider picked up the winning points aboard Don Arcangelo in Benchmark 70 grade over 2100 metres for local trainer Stephen Massingham.
"He is a nice horse, he works so well on the track and it is good to see him replicate it and win," Day said of Don Arcangelo.
The popular series in FNQ is named after Rob Koch who was a North Queensland racing administrator and horse owner that passed away in March 2020 after years involved in several different roles within the racing industry.
As an owner, Koch won big Cup races in North Queensland as well as bringing his best horses to Brisbane, where he also had success.
He also devoted his time to the Far North Country Racing Association, where he was the secretary, with plans to eventually become president before his sad passing.
But, Koch's greatest legacy in the north will be the Magic Millions FNQ Up and Coming Stayers Series, which he started, in conjunction with local clubs in 2014.
The Up and Coming Stayers Series is an eight-race event that provides horses with lower ratings an opportunity to race over staying trips and look to eventually qualify for NQ Cup races later in the year.
That is the plan with Don Arcangelo for Massingham.
The premier Cairns trainer floated Don Arcangelo as a potential Cups horse last year, with Tuesday's triumph the first since he joined Massingham's stable from John O'Shea.
"He has been a work in progress," Massingham said.
"The horse has shown a lot of promise and it is good to see him finally deliver.
"The races are going to get stronger for him from here.
"We changed all his gear and went back to scratch for this race to try something different, it has obviously worked."
Day took out the jockey's leg of the series with winners also awarded for the leading horse and trainer over the eight races.
The Janel Ryan barn claimed both other prizes, with Gaelic the best performed galloper.
The winning owners receives $4,000, with $2,000 won by Ryan and $500 going to the leading hoop in Day, which is courtesy of Cairns Jockey Club.
Magic Millions also offer a complimentary travel prize for the winning trainer, jockey and managing owner to the choice of attending the MM 2YOs in Training Sale or Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
