Local Solicitor Keith Carmody has the favourite in Saturday’s Country Championships Final at Randwick.
Keith Carmody has been there for many members of the local community with sound legal advice and representation for over 40 Years.
Keith has a thoroughbred called Don’t Give A Damn running in the Country Championships Final at Randwick on Saturday and could do with those locals and the rest of the community, backing him in the big race.
Keith owns the 4 year old gelding outright. Don’t Give A Damn beat his rivals by 2 lengths on Sunday with Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy aboard. Trained by Danny Williams at Goulburn, the 4 year old gelding by Bon Hoffa out of Cherry Tree has had just 7 starts for 5 wins and a second placing. The only time he has been out of the money was when he came 10th of 16 at the Goulburn qualifier. In that race he settled second and led at the 300 metre mark, before being overcome by the horses behind him.
He has now been installed as favourite for the race which has a first prize of $270,000. He has good reason to be favourite with a win on debut at Randwick and then another there, before winning at Rosehill. His next race was his loss at Goulburn before he won his next start, a trial at Goulburn, before streaking the field in the wildcard race at Muswellbrook on Sunday.
Williams admitted he had almost not taken Don’t Give A Damn to the races on Sunday. “Two days ago I was 100 per cent not coming,” Williams told Sky Thoroughbred Central. “He is a horse with corns on his feet and the ground has been so firm. “We got a new farrier and he changed his shoes. We just have to keep him sound. “He’s fit and well. It’s just his feet.” Kerrin McEvoy, who has ridden Don’t Give A Damn to four of his five wins, made his first trip to Muswellbrook to ride the gelding who firmed from $6 to $4 for the final with Scone heat winner Suncraze at $4.60.
Keith will join trainer Scott Spackman as the local connections in the big race with Spackman taking O’So Hazy to Sydney in preparations for the race.
Don’t Give A Damn certainly does Give a Damn when he hits the track with prize money of $192,000. If he wins on Saturday he will instantly nudge half a million dollars.
Don’t Give a Damn with Kerrin McEvoy aboard.
For Spackman it will be his second visit to the Championships, after Yet Tobe Convinced took the Wagga trainer to the final in 2015.
Scott said, “This means everything to us. What the mare has done this campaign is unbelievable.”
Keith said, “I’m getting a bit nervous now mate, to tell you the truth it’s a big race. He won very well at Muswellbrook and has come on well from that run, extra well. We hope he is going to have a good run on Saturday.”
Keith bought his first horse at 24 years of age and has been racing and breeding his own ever since. Don’t Give A Damn is the culmination of Keith’s breeding plans. He originally bought the great grand dam Cherry Town as a yearling. He went on to breed Cherry Festival, who won in Sydney. She was the mother of Cherry Tree who didn’t race due to injury and she is the mother of this horse.
Keith said, “I’m really chuffed that I have bred this and it’s come from a line I have had for a number of years. It’s a great level of satisfaction, it’s been a great time for my dear wife and all my family.”
All of Keith’s family are interested in racing and he said he will have a fair entourage on Saturday supporting the horse. He has probably had around 50 winners over his lifetime, but Saturday will be the highest amount of prizemoney any of his horses have raced for.
He said, “It’s the most prestigiuos race for country trained horses in Australia. My folks were always involved in racing. Horses are great animals, it’s a great hobby for me. A lot of time goes into it but you get great pleasure when your horse runs well. To a certain extent you have to have it in your blood.”
Make sure you don’t miss the Final at Randwick on Saturday. The Country Championships Final is sponsored by Newhaven Park and is over 1400 metres. The horses will be in the mounting yard at 1:00pm before the barriers crash back at 1:20pm. Make sure you cheer on Scott and Keith, who are flying the flag for our region.