He's the first to admit he’s no Fred Astaire, but Inverell trainer Wayne Oakenfull was ready to dance up a storm after Latin Tango surged to a track record-breaking win in the 1400m B&W Rural-Farmoz Talmoi Cup on Saturday.
Oakenfull, fresh from a winning double at Walgett the previous week, had two left feet when Latin Tango lost at least three lengths mid-race but like the horse, got back in rhythm when Scone jockey Ashley Boyd produced a well-timed run in the straight to score a big win.
“He sort of knuckled over and lost a few lengths very quickly,” Oakenfull said.
“To be honest, my first thought was that the horse had broken down but he’s fine and showed a ton of guts to fight on.
“He’s going along good, but we might hang up his boots for a little while now and spell him – and myself – for the rest of the winter. We might try him come summertime at Inverell,” he said.
Boyd, riding in career-best form, angled Latin Tango (5/4) into the clear at the top of the straight to storm home and score by a half-length from Nardoola Kid (10/9) with early leader Art Major (6/4) two lengths away third.
“He stumbled coming to the 600m and we lost about three lengths,” Boyd said.
“I thought he’d done some damage so I eased up but in two strides he was right again.
“They got a spurt on me but he mowed them down good.
“He’s a big, strong fellow and should go on with it hopefully,” he said.
Boyd has enjoyed a stellar Golden Triangle carnival, winning the Moree and Talmoi Cups – both for Oakenfull – and going under a whisker in the Mallawa Cup.
“I went close to getting all three and was unlucky at Mallawa, but you get that,” Boyd said.
“It’s been a good carnival for me – better than last year,” he grinned.
Latin Tango, owned at Bingara by Graham Rice, stopped the clock at 1min 25.02sec to lop 0.88 of a second off the track record established by Seabas eight years ago.
Oakenfull bought Latin Tango on behalf of Rice at a Magic Millions tried-horse sale last year, just before equine influenza brought the racing game to a grinding halt.
“We had him ready to run before the EI hit then I took him to Deepwater back in January and the jockey fell off him.
“He hurt himself at home after that and we didn’t see him for quite a while.
“He’s a better horse if he’s ridden quietly early and held up for that last go,” he said.
Oakenfull said if he can get Latin Tango’s head sorted out, he’d have a ready-made racehorse.
“He’s his own worst enemy,” Oakenfull said.
“There’re a few little issues with him and I think he’ll make a good horse later if I can get him to settle just a little bit more – in his races, at home and in life in general.
“He’s a bit of a box-walker and there’re a few other things we need to straighten out. If I can sort his head out, he’ll make a handy horse,” he said.