NINETEEN years ago, almost to the day, Mick Dittman rode a horse in a lowly maiden at Kembla Grange.
They finished an ordinary third but little did the famous jockey realise at the time he had just ridden a horse that was to become a household name in North Queensland.
It took a while before the horse actually won his first race. It was a year and seven starts later in fact when John Grisedale drove him home in a 1500m maiden again at Kembla. Hardly the trial for a Townsville Cup winner… but it was the beginning of winning career that saw Party King go on to win a record breaking three Townsville Cups.
What a horse!
Party King was the toast of Townsville particularly after his third win. Memories remain vivid with the much loved and sadly departed Keith Mahoney waving his whip excitedly to the crowd as he hit the line victorious in 2002.
Also of ‘Magic Mahoney’ darting around in the Owners and Trainer’s bar - still in his silks - long after correct weight had been declared. He celebrated with anyone and everyone who bought him a drink and there were penty queued up to shout!
In the mounting enclosure there were scenes never before witnessed. Everyone- whether they had backed him or not - saluted a true local champion - and applauded his devoted trainer Errol Sewell - himself a household name at Cluden.
Party King was owned by a group of Atherton Tableland friends headed by Bernie O’Shea. He is remembered as one of the leading old-time bookies in an era when punters lined up six deep to have a bet - big and small.
This was before the advent of TAB - and much to the detriment of the industry - the corporates.
Bernie is also the dad of John O’Shea, the Godolphin trainer based in Sydney. John cut his teeth on racing in the north and the first horse he trained was in fact at Mareeba.
It was John who “found” Party King and despatched him off to Queensland where he was to find fame that not even John would have hoped for.
Party King raced through the grades in Sydney and, with Grant Cooksley on board, scored at Warwick Farm in November 1997.
He was then off the scene for a year before appearing at Cluden in a Class-5 with Darin Sewell up and in December 1998. He ran third.
His first Townsville win was a Class-5 in July 1999 with Chris Whiteley aboard. The next week (Townsville Cup day) he finished 6th of 16 in a Class-6.
He then won the NQ Amateur Cup (Whiteley) fifth in the Atherton Cup (Toward) and won the Innisfail Cup (Robert Moses).
The next year, after an unsuccessful campaign in Brisbane, he won the Townsville Cup (Whiteley) and history shows he also won the next two with Keith Mahoney on board.
Mahoney actually rode Party King in 15 of his 97 starts- winning three.
But they were wins that counted. The wins that are best remembered.
And for as long as they continue to race at Cluden on the last Saturday of July (Cup day) Party King will be there- in spirit. As will jockey Mahoney.
HOOFNOTE: Efforts to track down the horse (now 22) have not been successful. We know he went back to John O’Shea to be used as a stable hack after he finished racing in the north - but from there… ?
Some say he went to a property at Cloncurry. Then there was a report he was in a paddock on the Burdekin.
But wherever he is may the grass remain plentiful and green for the horse that won $258,555 from 125 wins and 19 placings from 97 starts.
And gave us so many glorious memories.
