Truckie Craig Cousins is adamant a fairytale win in Queensland’s richest sprint race, the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap, in Brisbane tomorrow won’t inspire a late career change.
The 60-year-old hobby trainer, who saddles home-bred hero The Inflictor against the field of sprinting stars, said he’ll still be back at work next week driving for DMK Forest Products.
From their Banyo base, Craig drives wood products around Brisbane to building sites and shops to pay the bills to fund his training passion.
He’s happy to keep juggling driving duties around caring for the three horses he has in work, rising at 3.15am each morning to oversee trackwork before heading off for a day of deliveries.
It can make for some long weeks, affable Craig admits, but having a runner like The Inflictor in a race as big as the Stradbroke makes it all worth it.
His boss has given him the week off to soak up all the atmosphere of Queensland’s greatest horse race – and Craig is grabbing the moment in the spotlight with both hands.
He was at Eagle Farm on Tuesday morning for the well-attended trackwork session and was at the barrier draw later in the day.
The understated Craig has been busy fulfilling an array of interview requests and everything else that comes with having a runner in the big Group 1 of the carnival.
“It has been a great couple of weeks with all the media commitments and events,” he said with a grin.
“I have gone and bought a suit, I’ve bought some ties and I am thinking about the Stradbroke all the time.
“I do little things in my mind, even when I’m driving the truck, and I’ve rehearsed what my victory speech is going to be if we win.”
Craig was born in Tasmania to a racing family and his much-loved Dad Des, who passed away on Caulfield Cup day nine years ago, was also a small-time trainer and truckie.
He told reporters that his dad would be over the moon with him having a Stradbroke horse.
The Inflictor won through to Queensland’s famous race by claiming The Gateway back in December of last year, which provides the winner a direct pathway into the famous race.
After scoring in The Gateway, it was full steam ahead for the four-year-old gelding as Craig planned his preparation specifically to run in the Stradbroke.
Craig celebrates after winning his Stradbroke golden ticket in The Gateway. Image: Racing QueenslandHe ran well in Saturday city grade first-up in late April, before heading down to the Gold Coast for his second-up event where he finished third in the Listed ATC Trophy, a race Craig is adamant he should have won with more luck in the running.
Needing one more run before the Stradbroke, The Inflictor claimed a Benchmark 85 Handicap in late May with champion hoop Nash Rawiller doing the steering.
With the horse dropping to the featherweight of 51kg, lightweight local Cejay Graham will take the plum engagement tomorrow.
She has been his main rider over the last year and has developed a close bond with Craig and his stable favourite.
“I do not think there will be a horse that goes out there that tries harder than him,” Cejay said.
“It is going to be by far his hardest task to date, but he doesn’t know that – he will give his all.
“He is dropping 10kg since his last run so he will not even know I am up there, compared to his last start.”
Craig has labelled his three runs leading into Saturday as “perfect” and the horse was rated a $14 chance as of Wednesday afternoon.
“I know he is going to go into the race being a live chance, that is good to know,” the smiling trainer said.
“I just hope he races well, pulls up well and goes well in the race. I do not worry what price he is in the race. I know he has done well since the race the other day.”
The story is an edited version of the one that first appeared at Racing Queensland by Jordan Gerrans and Andrew Smith.
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