Queensland Prevail In State of Origin Thriller

CHURCHABLE trainer Warren Nicholls headed to Sydney and Melbourne back in April and May on a mission with his then promising staying bitch Days Of Thunder.

It was, on face value, a fruitless trip with the bitch being unplaced in four starts at Wentworth Park and Sandown.

But Warren is adamant it “turned her around” from a timid bitch to one with a degree of self confidence.

That was clearly evident on Thursday night when Days Of Thunder (Fernando Bale-Melissa's Pride) ran 41.85 to beat Super Estrella and Zipping Kansas to win the Group 3 State of Origin Distance title.

It was Warren's first Group victory.

IT'S QUEENSLANDS SHIELD IN 2022

SHIPWRECK gets the job done for Ned Snow and Queensland in a gutsy off-the-fence run, defeating Zipping Kyrigos in Ben Hunt-like fashion at @BrisGreys ?

QUEENSLANDER ??#QLDisRacing? pic.twitter.com/KH1j8eLB4W

— RaceQ (@RaceQLD) July 14, 2022

“Huge thrill,” he said today. “And the way the Brisbane Club and Racing Queensland looked after us all was incredible.”

Nicholls said the trip south, especially the month stay with Anthony Azzopardi in Victoria, has been the making of Days Of Thunder.

“I cannot thank Anthony enough. He and his family opened up their home and training complex for us and I had only met him briefly before,” said Warren.

“Since I brought her home, Days Of Thunder has been a different dog. Where she would once turn herself inside out she was so timid, she is now right out there on the lead and it shows.”

QLD STRIKES ?

DAYS OF THUNDER prevails with a special win from mid-pack to put @BenHannantNRL's maroons up early at @BrisGreys !

What a run ?#QLDisRacing? pic.twitter.com/XFgFt7xsqJ

— RaceQ (@RaceQLD) July 14, 2022

Since that trip south, Days Of Thunder has returned home to win four of seven starts, finished third to Collinda Patty in the Group 1 Queensland Cup and now win the State Of Origin.

Immediate plans are to run in the Nationals series, then the Sydney Cup at Wenty.

State Of Origin victory took her record to 34 starts for 10 wins and 10 placings and $144,000 and with it Warren Nicholls landed his first Group success.

On a grand night of racing, the State of Origin went to a decider in the Match Race Sprint (520m) after NSW star Good Odds Cash ran rampant to win the Sprint leg in dazzling fashion.

The match race saw NSW powerhouse Zipping Kyrgios face off against emerging young Queenslander Shipwreck for trainer Ned Snow.

The clash promised a lot and it delivered with the two within a length of each other before Shipwreck, a son of underrated sire Out Of Range, roared away late to seal Queensland State of Origin bragging rights.

The home state claimed the series 2-1, the same result as the rugby league following Queensland's epic win in game 3 at Suncorp Stadium 24 hours earlier.