COOKTOWN Amateur Turf Club president Darryl Paradise hopes Saturday’s winner at Cairns is the first of many more to come after he launched a comeback two months ago.
Paradise trained Bowtie Betty to victory in the $8500 Maiden Plate (1500m) at Cannon Park, a race that was initially scheduled for Innisfail before it was moved due to wet weather.
The 66-year-old said he was impressed with the mare’s win at her seventh race start, having previously been prepared by Darryl Hansen on the Sunshine Coast.
“That was her third run for me and I thought she was a little bit unlucky at Ingham last start; she got to the lead and had a look around and lost it.”
Bowtie Betty was sent around as favourite at Cooktown earlier this month but Paradise said the race was never going to suit the four-year-old.
“She wasn’t fit enough and it was probably too short for her,” he said.
“I think she can go fresh over 1200m but anything further is better for her.”
Racecaller Bluey Forsyth with Darryl Paradise at Cairns on Saturday.
Paradise has a property at Biboohra, north of Mareeba, and trucks his thoroughbreds to Tolga several times a week for fast work.
“Kerry Rockett rides all of my trackwork and he does a great job,” the trainer said.
“We’ve got a walker here and we are building up a little complex. It’s been a bit of a dream.”
Paradise last trained a winner in 2016 when Aesop saluted on Cooktown Cup day.
He stopped training in 2017 and spent several years running the Lion’s Den Hotel for family.
“Now that I’m back we’ll get a few more horses and have a bit of fun,” he said.
