Caption: Steve Scott with his Rockhampton Cup winning sprinter Inevitable. (Photo: Caught In The Act Photography CQ)
By MIKE HILL
STEVE Scott has made a stunning return to the sport guiding new acquisition Inevitable to a brilliant victory in Friday night’s $112,500 Group 2 Rockhampton Cup (510m).
Inevitable, well-supported at $4.90, was having only his second start for Scott after the astute trainer purchased the well-credentialed sprinter from highly respected breeder Steve Williams a bit over a month ago.
The black son of Sennachie and Velocity Chance had won first-up for the Sarina-based conditioner in a heat of the Rocky series seven days earlier and then almost doubled his prizemoney with a tenacious run in the $75,000-to-the-winner final.
And for Scott, it was his first Rocky Cup success.
The fastest of the heat winners, Inevitable (box 7) showed his class in the rich final by taking control down the back straight and holding off Travis Elson’s gallant Bear’s Bullet ($2.20 fav) by half a length.
The Ken Boody-trained Tagovailoa ($6.70) was another three-quarters of a length away third.
Before joining Scott’s team, Inevitable had been an impressive member of the powerful Selena and Michael Zammit kennels at Willow Vale on the Gold Coast.
Scott said he had secured the dog after chatting with owner Steve Williams, who he had trained for in the past.
“One thing led to another and he ended up at my joint,” he said.
The trainer said he thought Inevitable was a good chance in the final up until he drew box seven.
But then he remembered what Williams had told him.
“Steve always said that Michael Zammit reckoned the dog was a better dog from the outside,” Scott said.
“Obviously he was right.”
The success lifted Inevitable’s earnings to $152,815 from 41 career starts, including 14 wins and nine placings.
And about future plans for the dog, Scott hasn’t made up his mind.
“We’ll see,” he said.
“We may look at the carnival (Brisbane Winter Carnival).
“Six weeks ago none of this was going to happen, so if we don’t win a Rocky Cup tonight we’ll probably go around here next week or the week after.
“We’ll just see.
“We’ll keep him happy and just have a bit of fun.
“Does anyone think that this can happen?
“We’ve had some good dogs through the years.
“Not very often does a dog like this dog land in your lap like it has.
“Steve’s a good bloke, he has looked after me a lot with other dogs through the years.”
Scott, who took outstanding sprinter Farmor Beach to the top of Group racing when based at Churchable, stepped away from the industry several years ago.
He only picked up the lead and collar again last year and already he’s sitting in fifth spot on the 2024 Rocky trainers points table with 15 wins at a 23% winning strike rate.
It was a big night for Scott, who also landed the $7700 Rocky Carnival Sprint (407m) with Farmor Iconic.
Meanwhile, talented chaser Samurai Mind landed his second country feature in successive months with an impressive win in the $18,500 Rockhampton Cup Consolation (510m).
The Jamie Hosking-trained fawn sprinter surged late to beat Black Wizard (Juanita Thompson) by a length with Dallas Beckett’s Magical Star a close third.
Samurai Mind’s success in the $12,025-to-the-winner feature followed victory in the $15,400 QGOLD Open Final (531m) at Bundaberg in mid-March.
The Fernando Bale-Crazy Bonnie sprinter has chalked up 18 wins and 17 placings from 59 career starts with earnings just under $95,000.
Emerald-based trainer Christine Pollard also had a rewarding night.
She picked up a winning treble, which included the $7700 Dinky Di 4/5 Grade final (407m) with smart sprinter Educator.
In fact, she quinellaed the feature with kennelmate Barefoot Rogue.
Pollard’s other winners were Buckaroo (Maiden, 407m) and Grande Bahama (4th Grade, 407m).
All three victors are members of her highly successful Fernando Bale-Bossy Miss Bella litter.
