Redemption Day Smashes Townsville Cup Field

BACK in May, when Redemption Day returned home to Harold Hovi's Townsville property, the last thing he had on his mind was a Townsville Cup campaign with the dog.

On Friday night, Redemption Day (My Redeemer-Fancy Dancer) thrashed a high class field to win the Group 3 Townsville Cup in 28.39 just a length off the track record and Harold breathed a huge sigh of relief.

That's because Redemption Day had come back to his best and there has been times in the past year Harold thought that would never happen.

“When he came home in May, the last thing I had on my mind for him was the Townsville Cup,” he said. “I was looking more towards the North Qld Cup later in the year.”

Redemption Day scored by six and a quarter lengths over Shaye with a length and three-0quarters to favourite Hara's Skye in third.

It took his record to 17 starts for nine wins and $67,000.

IT'S THE LOCALS CUP ?

The Harold Hovi-trained REDEMPTION DAY absolutely smokes them in the Townsville Cup! What a performance ? #QLDisRacing? pic.twitter.com/iSQ7Hw3N2q

— RaceQ (@RaceQLD) September 9, 2022

The start of Harold's problems with his dog stem back to August 2021.

Redemption Day had stepped up to 498m racing for the first time and brilliantly won a graded race in 28.42 just a couple of lengths off Zabdon Ferrari's track record. It was his sixth win in seven starts.

But, Redemption Day was savaged in the catching pen by another runner, torn open near his shoulder.

“We got him over the injury but it wasn't until the following December before he raced again,” said Harold.

But Redemption Day by this time was wary of going into the catching pen and his form, for him, slipped.

“I decided he needed to be sent somewhere else to get his confidence back,” said Harold. “He went to Darren Taylor in Rockhampton. Unfortunately, he had niggling injuries while he was there.”

Redemption Day won a race at Rocky but his form slipped and Harold brought him home in May.

It was like a transformation, a Redemption Day, for the dog.

“From the moment he got home, he settled in perfectly,” said Harold.

Almost instantly his form came back and he won the automatic entry into the Cup final and then blitzed the final.

“We will head him towards the Derby now and then the original target, the North Qld Cup,” said Harold.

“He won't be going anywhere though.

“It is a big thrill to win the Cup. We are really pleased to get him there and do what he did.”

Harold knocked back a Brisbane offer of $50,000 for Redemption Day and his “just as good” litter brother Excuse Me Jack when they first hit the track early in 2021.

“I didn't buy them to sell them, only to race them,” he said. “It's been a fabulous litter.

“Excuse Me Jack broke a hock and Heath Ardle now has him and he will use him as a stud dog.”

Even now, Redemption Day will not go too far into the catching pen when he races at Townsville. But it's all about what he does beforehand that counts … as he showed when winning the Townsville Cup.