By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
A four-day hit-and-run mission to Queensland, after a 30-year hiatus, has proved successful for visiting Taminda horseman, Gregory Coney.
The 55-year-old New South Welshman made the 816km venture north to the Sunshine State with two of his 10-strong stable the day before the Redcliffe races on Friday night (May 17), and then left with a smile on his on Sunday (May 19).
The Queensland assignment couldn’t have started any better when 5-year-old Bling It On gelding, Zacharooni, nailed race six at Redcliffe Paceway by 2.1 metres as the $8 fourth favourite.
That was at 8.41pm, Friday. Then at 7.41pm the following evening Coney went into race six at Albion Park needing just one win to notch up 400-career training triumphs since 1986. Unfortunately, Colby and Peter McMullen had to settle for a 1.9m second.
“We brought the two geldings up to win both races and Colby is probably the best horse in my stable. We wanted to win the third Qbred bonus with Zacharooni and a nice Nathan Dawson drive at Redcliffe ensured that. We might have to come back to win Colby’s qualifier up here, because there’s just not the right type of racing for him back home,” Coney said.
“In fact, the same could be said for a couple of my horses back home. There’s just not the racing for them there, so another trip this winter could be on the cards,” he added.
Coney admitted Redcliffe trips had been few and far between in his life, but he said he could have become hooked on the sport in the Sunshine State when he was a young child.
“We’ve always lived in New South Wales, but Mum and Dad moved to Toowoomba when I was a kid and I remember sitting in the gig behind one of Bill and Dawn May’s horses. I might have got the bug from there, but horses have always been a part of my life.
“I remember coming to the Gold Coast about 30 years ago and driving success at Redcliffe with horses like Kentucky King, Miss Swaggy and Joe Bob. That’s when I used to drive and train at tracks like Toowoomba, Redcliffe, Rocklea and Tweed Heads.
“Even though the weather hasn’t been as warm as anticipated, it’s great coming up here and staying with Jenny,” added Coney, who arrived on Thursday (May 16) and will make the seven-hour, 15-minute road trip home today (Sunday).
Jenny is Redcliffe trainer, Jenny Anderson, who ensured a ‘hometown’ victory for her guests. Coney said both horses settled in well to their surroundings on Knight Street just adjacent to ‘The Triangle’.
Coney praised Nathan Dawson’s drive, adding it was not hard to see why he’s one of the best drivers not only in Queensland, but throughout the nation.
“I’ve driven a few winners (139), but started giving it away for the professionals in about 2014. I’ve got a full-time job, my wife Tneal, and two kids, so and it works better that way these days. That was a lovely drive by Nathan. He just sat in the trail then pounced on the turn.”
The Gregory Coney trained and Nathan Dawson driven, Zacharooni, sat in the trail in Friday’s sixth event – the Comfort Inn NR 45-49 Pace, and then in the pacing proved too strong in the straight winning by 2.1 metres.
Zacharooni was the $8-fourth favourite. He paced the 1,780m mobile in 2:11.3 – home in 29.2 and 29.3 seconds. That resulted in a personal best mile rate of (mile rate 1:58.7) It was the brown Bling It on Gelding’s fourth win in 38 starts, and second this season. The 5-year-old has also placed 10 times.
He is owned by the Coneys’ and was bred by Harshell Investments Pty Ltd.
“I bought him off Rickie Alchin in September 2022 and he’s got better the last few runs. He had 19 races for Ricky and actually both of his wins for him were at Redcliffe (June 30, 2021, and August 10, 2022). His only other victory came at Narrabri last month (April 7) when my daughter, Jemma drove him.
“I’d actually like to put the ’For Sale’ sign on him but Tneal won’t let me,” Coney said.
The Kiama born and educated horseman has five children – including New South Wales representative, 22-year-old Jemma, who has reined 161 winners ($1.1m); 16-year-old Jye (25 winners and $234,072 in 1.5 seasons); 14-year-old Morgan, who also helps out at Dad and Jye at the family barn; and 12-year-old Nash,, who drives the mini-trotters.
Coney also has two step-daughters, former driver Georgia, and current driver, Madi Young – the latter 25-year-old having driven 137 winners ($927,728).
“All my kids started with the Mini Ponies,” Coney said.
Coney said he didn’t drive as much these days preferring to put the “guns” on. In fact, the New South Welshman has only reined one winner since 2013. In the sulky Coney has saluted the judge 139 times since the 1985-1986 season. He’s also placed 297 times and amassed $434,551 in purses from 1,275 career drives.
Coney and his wife, Tneal, are Disability Support Managers in Tamworth, but he has always managed to have his own stable since he got his licence in the 1986-87 season. Coney’s familiar purple and white colours have been to the races 3,144 times for 399 wins, 755 places and $2.02 million in purses.
He is yet to nail a Group or Listed win but has nailed several Country Cup races including the Bathurst and Canberra Cups. Coney has really come into his since 2019-2020 having won more than $200,000 in stakes four seasons in a row. In 2024 coney has trained 18 winners, 33 place-getters, and $138,926 in stakes.
“The winners started to occur more often after we shifted to Tamworth (Taminda) about six years ago. As for Redcliffe, it took a wee-while for me to work out track and the three corners out when I came here all those years ago, but I like it, and it was great to be back there again. I won’t take so long returning this time. I enjoy that winning feeling, so we will be back,” Coney said.
Asked who were the best horses that he had trained, Coney mentioned Charlie Brando, Watchful Lady and a 23-race – six-win ($55,669) Art Major 3-year-old New Zealand-bred mare named Mystify Me (1:55.4).
“I like her a lot. She hasn’t raced since late January, but she strung four wins in a row at Newcastle and Tamworth last campaign (November 2 to January 26). I also like Colby a lot, and then there was Britney Jane (1:52.9 ) – (a 2014 Betthancheddar 17-win – $97.207 mare) who raced between 2017 and 2021.
Coney’s best horses since 2000 have been (in stakes earnings order):
Charlie Brando 17 wins and $67,088; Watchful Lady 9 wins and $65,485; Runfromterror 11 wins and $62,678; Wyneden Line 14 wins and $55,191; Colby 7 wins and $47,516; Roclea Image 6 wins and $55,014; Knight Walker 4 wins and $38,746; Casino Comedy 6 wins and $37,947′ Britney Jane 7 wins and $36,729; Dothedealdylan 4 wins and $33,772.
Footnote: Taminda is 4km west of Tamworth; 417km north-west of Sydney; and 576km south-west of Brisbane. It has a population of 57, and is 612km (7 hours and 10 minutes) from Brisbane.
