Ricky Ludwig and Frank Edwards combined to win the Cooktown Cup with Lord of Light last year. They’ll look to repeat the effort at Laura on Saturday.
IT’S hard to know what excites jockey Frank Edwards more – winning another country Cup or having a hot shower at Laura.
The veteran Townsville hoop will make the long trip to Cape York on Saturday with a good book of rides, including the steer on Lord of Light in the $14,000 Laura Cup (1450m).
But while Edwards was rapt with his engagements, he saved his excitement for the news that Laura Amateur Turf Club has a new jockey room.
“Oh wow, that will be something,” he said when informed by Cape York Weekly.
“We were excited when we moved from the tin shed (to a shipping container).
“I still remember having to walk through all the punters to use the bathroom, so this will be a big improvement.”
At 59, Edwards understands that his career in the saddle is at the pointy end, but don’t expect him to retire anytime soon.
“I really enjoy it, especially the good bush meetings and I’m going to keep at it while I’m still performing,” he said.
On Saturday, Edwards will resume his partnership with Lord of Light in the Cup after they combined for success in the Mareeba and Cooktown features last year.
“I expect him to be hard to beat again,” the jockey said.
“He failed in the Einasleigh and Mount Garnet Cups, but the tracks might have been a bit too hard for him.
“They normally cut into the ground a little bit at Laura so I think he’ll be well suited.”
A massive crowd will flock to the Laura Amateur Turf Club on Saturday.
Lord of Light is trained out of Tolga by Ricky Ludwig and most of the stable’s horses are ridden by Edwards.
“I was fortunate to get a ride or two for Ricky and we did well and he kept putting me on,” the hoop said.
“I’m lucky because Ricky spends a lot of time picking the right horses for the races we have up here and prepares them well.
“Our strike rate is pretty good.”
Ludwig and Edwards will also join forces in the Class 3 Plate (1000m) with Whispering Tycoon and the Laura Bracelet Class B Handicap (1200m) with Sonofthebeast.
The new jockey rooms were paid for by Queensland Racing under the state government’s Country Racing Program.
Laura Amateur Turf Club secretary Jenni Sorensen said the prefabricated rooms arrived on the back of a truck and the club simply had to supply a concrete slab and then hook up the water and electricity.
