Birdsville Races, Media Release, 26 August 2024
As the countdown to the 142nd Birdsville Races in Outback Queensland begins, 1200km away an unassuming property in the Adelaide Hills may be the secret ingredient delivering another TAB Birdsville Cup win for South Australia on Saturday September 7, 2024.
The picturesque Listore Park property in the Adelaide Hills, owned by the Brook family from Birdsville, has been the base for more Birdsville Cup winners than any other property in the country. The small property is named after Listore Creek, 70km north west of Birdsville and was purchased by the Brook family in the early 1980’s.
Since 1982 seven Birdsville Cup winners, all under the care of the late George Dawson who was the most successful Birdsville Cup winning trainer of all time, have been trained from Listore Park.
Recently, after a 20 year hiatus, the Brook horses returned to Listore Park and it was from there that 2023 TAB Birdsville Cup winner and SA thoroughbred Neodium started his preparation for back-to-back TAB Birdsville Cup’s.
Trained by Phillip Stokes Racing Neodium stormed across the finish line ahead of the field to take home the prestigious 1,600m TAB Birdsville Cup for Birdsville Race Club stalwart and President David Brook last year. Giving the family their first Birdsville Cup win in 23 years.
Young trainer Ryan Hannemann and team, moved into Listore Park in November 2023 and now look after a team of +30 horses from the property, where they do the spelling and pre-training of a number of horses including the striking grey Neodium.
‘It’s a beautiful place with such a long successful connection to the Birdsville Races and we are really excited to see what Neodium can do in a couple weeks. You wouldn’t think a hilly property that gets down to freezing in winter is the ideal training ground for a Birdsville Cup winner but history suggests otherwise. Perhaps they grow another leg when they head north to the warmer weather in Birdsville.
‘We take horses to Strathalbyn each morning and there’s a bit more of a Birdsville connection there with Kym Healy there as well. Healy a journeyman trainer who has recently returned from a stint in Darwin will again be heading norther for the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival attempting to win the TAB Birdsville Cup, one of the very few country cups that has eluded him.’
While Hannemann did the early work Neodium has settled into his Morphettville base alongside his best mate and Birdsville travelling partner Trumpsta.
Tommy Stokes, head of the Morphettville stable of Phillip Stokes says, ‘These two love each other and hate to be apart. I’m glad they’re travelling up together because I don’t think they’d perform if they weren’t side by side.’
Trumpsta is trained by Ron Stokes, Tommy’s grandfather who spent much of his life working on cattle stations on the Birdsville track. Its his only horse in work and put in an impressive 3rd placing last start as his final hit out for Birdsville.
‘Last year was our first trip to Birdsville. We had a ball. It was great to do the trip with Grandpa and see some of the places he used to worka and where dad grey up. It was a tough trip but a real eye opener and we loved every minute. To take home the TAB Birdsville Cup was the icing on the cake but to do it again would be out of the world,’ added Tommy Stokes.
Strathalbyn jockey Justin Potter will trave the 1200km north to be aboard Neodium in 2023 TAB Birdsville Cup.
With the best hopes of South Australia riding on Neodium, the Adelaide Hills/Strathalbyn region will have plenty to cheer for when the gates open in the 2023 TAB Birdsville Cup on Saturday September 7, 2024.
About the Birdsville Races
- What: 2024 Birdsville Races
- Where: Birdsville, Queensland
- When: Friday 6th and Saturday 7th September 2024
- Tickets & info: www.birdsvilleraces.com
