A late pick-up ride gave Scone jockey Eloise Drews back-to-back 1400m B&W Rural Boolooroo Cups at Moree picnic races on Saturday when locally-owned gelding Thiem raced clear for a popular win in the time-honoured bush feature.

Drews won last year’s cup with Awesome Tycoon for Jane Clement, and was a late booking for Thiem after Rickey Blewitt injured a wrist during the week and had to forgo all riding engagements at Moree.

Thiem, trained at Beaudesert by Jimmy Downes for a huge Moree syndicate headed up by his dad, Mark Downes, uncle Basil Downes, and former Moree Picnic Race Club president Scott Carrigan, was seeking redemption after failing badly at last year’s Golden Triangle.

“He’s a lovely, lovely horse and I’m very grateful for Ricky and Mr Downes for giving me the pick-up ride. Unfortunately, Ricky was out hurt and couldn’t ride,” Drews said.

Thiem ($3.60) parked on the fence behind the speed before pouncing in the straight to score by half-a-length from Holly Williams’ race leader Rivaldo ($8), with Moree-owned gelding Shut Eye ($3.20) two-and-a-half lengths away third.

Race favourite Lesgo Don ($3), also owned locally, was a length away fourth.

“Thiem is an awesome horse, and did everything right for me – carried me all the way,” Drews said.

“It was great to get the win, and all the owners were here, which made it even better.

“I sat in behind the leaders on the rail and Mr Downes wanted me to sit positive. The horse jumped well and I thought I’d keep myself in that position.

“The ones I thought would lead, didn’t. I had to go for plan B, but it all worked out and we got the job done,” she smiled.

Trainer Jimmy Downes said Thiem indicated the Boolooroo Cup was a real possibility when a fast-finishing, first-up second behind Royal Bombadier in a strong form race at Warwick earlier this month.

Royal Bombadier won again next start and third-placed Coney Island Baby subsequently won by nearly six lengths at Kilcoy.

“The plan was always to come to Moree,” Downes said.

“There’s a good bunch of owners here, and they bought him to target this race.

“We tried last year, when things didn’t go to plan, but the horse is a year older and went super at Warwick last start. He put the writing on the wall when he came from well back and was wide.

“We were confident today and needed it all to pan out – and thankfully it did,” he said.

Downes said rounds two and three of bush racing’s Golden Triangle at Mallawa and Talmoi on June 6 and June 20 are tentatively on the radar.

“We’ll see how we go with Mallawa and Talmoi,” Downes said.

“We tried with him last year, but he really didn’t handle it.”

Downes said travelling from Beaudesert last year took its toll.

“Beaudesert is nearly six hours and it was a big ask for the horse,” Downes said.

“It took a fair bit out of him. We’ll see how he comes through after Moree and might look at Talmoi.”

Thiem is owned by a big group of Moree and district owners, including Basil Downes his wife Kellie, Mark Downes, Scott Carrigan and his son Angus, Andrew Pitman, John Carrigan, Joe Greer, Charlie Hickson, Tom Quinn, John Madden, Wylie Harris, John Shepherd and Sherri Magor.

Scott Carrigan said it’s been a long time between drinks.

“This is my second win in the cup after 25 years – they don’t come around often – and I had a bit of success with a horse called Dungiven quite a while ago,” Carrigan said.

“We bought Thiem last year for these races and had no success at all, but Jimmy has turned him around and certainly has done a great job.

“The Downes boys are the backbone of it all. We’re a group of friends having a bit of fun with the horse, and that’s what the picnics are all about,” Carrigan said.

Earlier, cup-winning jockey Eloise Drews led all the way to win the 1600m Kenway and Clark Class 2 Handicap on More Cash for Inverell trainer Ridge Wilson.

More Cash ($3.40) scored by more than two lengths from Connie Greig’s The Bentley ($2fav), with Kylie Kennedy’s Himeros ($3) five-and-a-half lengths away third.

“More Cash is a lovely horse and it was an easy win,” Drews said.

“Ridge gave me very simple instructions – be very positive, if not try lead.

“I was extremely worried about the favourite, Himeros, taking the lead and getting away but I knew I’d drawn a better barrier so I kept him out for as long as possible.

“To my horse’s credit, everything worked out perfectly. He’s very one-paced, so it was just a matter of getting the first half right, then the second half came easy,” she said.

Round two of the Golden Triangle at Mallawa features six races, including the 1400m Mallawa Cup, won last year by Pahang, and the 1000m Mallawa Bracelet.

Talmoi Picnic Race Club rounds out the carnival at Garah on Saturday, June 20.

Bush Racing’s Golden Triangle

Mallawa: Saturday, June 6. Updates at Mallawa Facebook Page

Online tickets for Mallawa: Mallawa Picnic Races TIX

Talmoi: Saturday, June 20. Updates at Talmoi Facebook Page