Owners of the Snake Gully Cup winner ‘Ticklebelly’ Mick and Ruth Doyle with the 2025 Snake Gully Cup trophy. The 2025 Snake Gully Cup Carnival will be etched into the record books as one of the most memorable editions in its storied history, following a breathtaking performance by the local star Ticklebelly, who obliterated the 1400-metre course record in the feature $100,000 Big Dance Eligibility race.
The five-year-old mare’s victory, clocked in a sen-sational time of 1:21.21, shattered the previous mark by over half a second and sent the packed crowd of enthusiastic punters, families, and racing aficionados into raptures.
“She broke the track record. I would say it was her best win yet,” said winning trainer Scott Collings, beaming with pride. This triumph not only highlighted the raw talent emerging from regional stables but also provided the perfect climax to a day brimming with stunning upsets, razor-thin photo finishes, tense Stewards’ inquiries, and moments of sheer equine brilliance that underscored the vibrancy of country racing in New South Wales.
Trainer Scott Collings, a fixture in the Goulburn racing community known for his patient and meticulous approach to preparing horses, joined forces with jockey Pierre Boudvillain to orchestrate a tactical masterpiece with the five-year-old mare. Ticklebelly, a daughter of prolific sire Zoustar out of a tough dam line, had shown glimpses of her potential in prior starts but entered the Cup off a string of consistent placings rather than dominant wins.
“She’s out of a mare that never done very much and by a stallion that goes okay, but it’s a good time to have bred her, and so I broke her in as a baby and then raced her,” Collings reflected on her humble origins.
“She actually broke her maiden at Gundagai a fair few years back. So that’s a real full circle moment. I think David Blundell at Gundagai trained the mother.
“From the moment the gates flew open, she stalked the early pace set by a front-runner, Panic, who wanted to run the field off its feet, Ticklebelly conserving energy while positioned perfectly in second on the rail.
“She settled exactly where we thought she’d be, I thought she’d be firing on the pace or lead herself, she’s an on pace horse,” Collings noted.
“The race was run really well to suit her. It was run at a strong tempo, and obviously, she followed the leader, and it was run to suit her by all means.”
As the field navigated the undulating Gundagai track—famous for its tight turns and demanding straight—Boudvillain waited patiently before unleashing an electric burst of speed in the final 300 metres, surging clear in a display of raw power and precision that left commentators and spectators alike speechless.
“She’s a very headstrong horse. She’s a proper redheaded woman,” Collings added with a chuckle. “The deeper she gets into a preparation, the better she goes, but she does love her runs being spaced and kept a bit fresh.”
for Racing David Harris.
The Race That Stopped the Carnival: Snake Gully Cup
The prestigious XXXX Gold Big Dance Eligibility Snake Gully Cup (1400m) lived up to its billing as the jewel in the carnival’s crown, delivering a tough, tactical battle that tested every runner to their limits, particularly the heavyweights carrying substantial imposts in the handicap conditions.
Historically, the unique Gundagai circuit—with its cambered bends, short straight of just 325 metres, and preference for horses drawn low and travelling lightly—has favoured agile types over brute-force metro stayers. Yet, this year’s field was stacked at the top of the weights with genuine metropolitan-class runners who had dropped back to country level seeking Big Dance qualification.
In a welcome surprise that delighted the parochial home crowd and high-lighted the growing parity in Australian racing, the race featured almost exclu-sively country trainers, a testament to the event’s elevated status through its Big Dance eligibility pathway. Local and regional conditioners from towns like Goulburn, Wagga Wagga, and Albury dominated the entries, proving that provincial talent could hold its own against city raiders without needing interstate imports to fill the field.
The $2.50 favourite, Ticklebelly, drew ideally in barrier 4 and was ridden to absolute perfection by Boudvillain, a French-born jockey with a reputation for his cool demeanour under pressure.
“She’s had a few (jockeys) ride her, but he’s been the main one. He won the wildcard to get to the country championships. He rode her in the country championships, and he also rode her in the big sprint race down at the Sapphire Coast last year as well,” Collings explained. “He’ll ride her as long as the weight allows. Pierre can’t ride really light, so it depends on her benchmark what race she goes in to what weight she gets, which jockeys can ride her.”
The pace was frenetic from the outset, with a trio of contenders—pushing to negate their big weights of 60kg and above—setting blistering early sectionals that strung out the field and promised a war of attrition. As the runners turned for home amid a crescendo of cheers echoing across the picturesque Adjungbilly Creek backdrop, the capacity crowd anticipated a classic dogfight between the top-weighted favourites, with tired legs and shifting momentum creating chaos in the pack.
Ticklebelly, however, displayed phenomenal acceleration that belied her handy 56.5kg allotment, overhauling the gallant Matthew Dale-trained Cavalier Charles (61.5kg), a tough-as-teak gelding from Wagga who had trailed the leader gamely and finished a gallant neck second in a performance that defied his massive handicap and earned him a standing ovation from his connections.
The final margin of just 0.11 lengths between the top two underscored the punishing, unforgiving nature of the contest, where every stride counted on the firm Good 4 surface that had held up remarkably under a full day’s racing. However, it was the clock that told the true story: 1:21.21, a time officially confirmed by Racing NSW stewards as a new track record for the 1400m distance, eclipsing the previous benchmark set in 2018 and marking a truly monumental achievement that will be talked about in Gundagai circles for years to come. The victory not only secured the lucrative $48,000 first prize—boosting the Collings stable’s prize-money tally for the season past the $300,000 mark—but also automatically confirmed Ticklebelly’s place in the prestigious $3 million Big Dance at Royal Randwick later in the year, catapulting the modest Goulburn-based operation onto the national stage and inspiring a new generation of country trainers.
“We were looking to try and get her into the Kosciuszko, and she was an emergency, but didn’t quite get there,” Collings recalled of her near-miss earlier in the season.
“In the short term, we’ll have a look at the community chest, which is next Sunday, which she is exempt from the ballot, and then more than likely probably go to the paddock and probably resume in a race like the Wagga Town Plate or something like that.”
Villasaurus (trained by Donna Scott from Albury and ridden by Blaike McDougall), a consistent performer with a knack for placing in features, finished a credible third, 3.7 lengths from the winner, but still collected the $9,750 purse and valuable experience for fu-ture targets.
“We have got 18 in work. It’s between her and Mogo Magic for the best we have in work at the moment,” Collings said of his stable stars. “I thought she was a very, very good chance going into Friday; we were going in with a lot of confidence.”
Wrapping up the day’s triumph, he added: “It’s a great honour to have won the Snake Gully Cup, it’s one of the more prestigious country races going, we’ve had a few compete in it before, but to get the winner, it’s certainly special.”
Drama in the Showcases: Protests and Upset Wins
While the Cup rightfully dominated the headlines and post-race discussions at the Gundagai racecourse bar, the supporting card delivered high-octane racing action packed with significant post-race drama, including objections, form reversals, and emerging stars that kept the excitement levels peaking from the first race to the last.
Race 8: Class 1 Thriller Ends in Protest Dismissal
The Gundagai Regional Funerals Class 1 Showcase Handicap (1100 Metres) provided the most contentious and heart-stopping finish of the entire day, culminating in a prolonged protest that held up dividend payouts and had connections on edge for nearly 20 minutes.
The sprint field of 12 was loaded with speedsters, and the race unfolded at a break-neck pace on the lightning-fast track. Matthew Dale’s $3.70, Ready To Rush, a sharply improving three-year-old colt ridden by the experienced Ms Louise Day, dug deep into his reserves to narrowly prevail in the sprint, crossing the line 0.7 lengths clear of the fast-finishing Paparazzo and a further 0.2 lengths ahead of the luckless Gandalf, who had encountered traffic issues in the straight.
The photo finish for the minors was a blur of noses and necks, adding to the tension. However, the connections of the third-place finisher, Gandalf—a gritty type trained locally and backed into $8.50—lodged a formal protest against the second-placed Paparazzo, alleging severe interference in the final 200 metres where the runner-up had shifted ground under pressure, bumping Gandalf and costing him momentum. Following a tense inquiry in the Stewards’ room, complete with careful frame-by-frame review of the head-on and side-on patrol footage, plus testimony from jockeys involved, the panel ultimately dismissed the objection, citing that while contact occurred, it did not materially affect the result.
The integrity of the tight finish stood firm, with the placings confirmed as: 1st Ready To Rush, 2nd Pa-parazzo, 3rd Gandalf, much to the relief of winning connections and the frustration of the protesters.
Race 6: An Unexpected Win in the Class 1 1400m
In the TAB Class 1 Showcase Handicap over 1400 Metres, the victory went to Hip Hip Ole, an impressive and somewhat under-the-radar winner for Canberra-based trainer Nick Olive and jockey Jean Van Overmeire, who combined to deliver a textbook front-running display.
Sent out at $3.60 favourite after a string of eye-catching trials and a recent placing at Queanbeyan, the Ole Kirk gelding—a strapping bay with a distinctive white blaze—led from barrier rise and never looked like being headed, kicking clear in the straight to win by a comfortable 0.63 lengths. The final time of 1:23.01 was excellent for the class level, reflecting the genuine tempo and the track’s bias toward on-speed runners throughout the day, though it paled in comparison to the Cup’s record-shattering effort.
The most notable aspect of the race was the close and thrilling battle for the minor placings, with the rank outsider Playful Puzzle—a $26 chance trained by Joe Ible—securing second after weaving a passage through the field from near last, and the well-backed Amanoah ($4.40 from the Keith Dryden yard) finishing third after being posted wide without cover for much of the journey. This result suggested a deep and talented field of promising gallopers emerging from the country ranks, many of whom could progress to higher grades with more experience.
The Undercard: Speed, Promise, and Dominance
The earlier races on the eight-event card set an electric tone for the speed and overall quality of the track; conditions were playing fast and fair, allowing horses to run genuine times from go to whoa.
Race 1: Silver Serenade Dominates
The opening event, the Tumblong Hills Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1100m), saw a convincing and authoritative performance from Silver Serenade, a stylish filly trained by Danny Williams out of his thriving Goulburn operation. Backed into $2.45 favourite after a series of strong barrier trials, the daughter of talented sprinter sire Hellbent exploded from the gates and led through-out, drawing clear in the straight to win by a substantial and unflattering 2.85-length margin, setting a slick time of 1:03.30 that signalled the track was at its peak. This victory demonstrated her undeniable class over the shorter trips and provided an ideal, morale-boosting start to the Carnival for the Williams stable, which had multiple runners later in the day. The placings were filled by State Of Grace, a debutant showing promise for the future, and Dancing Mumma, who battled on gamely for third.
Race 4: The Class 3 Showcase
The Patriot Bloodstock Class 3 Showcase Handicap (1180 Metres) provided yet another strong and competitive win, this time for the Tim Donnelly-trained Snowy ($5.00), a tough gelding with a fondness for the Gundagai circuit. Ridden aggressively from a wide draw, Snowy settled just off the speed before pouncing in the straight, finishing 0.6 lengths ahead of a fast-finishing runner-up in a display of sustained speed. The final time of 1:08.52 was highly indicative of the fast tempo maintained throughout the day, highlighting the track’s exceptional capability to carry speed even as the meeting progressed and underscoring why Gundagai remains a favourite among sprint specialists.
Race 5: Baledon Finds Form
In the Country Magic Benchmark 58 Showcase Handicap (1400 Metres), Albury trainer Ron Stubbs’ runner Baledon ($6.00) produced a strong and confidence-inspiring run to return to the winner’s circle, claiming victory by 1.14 lengths after sitting handy and outstaying his rivals in the closing stages with a powerful finish, clocking 1:24.08.
The win was particularly timely for the stable, which had representatives in the feature Cup race and used this result as a positive omen heading into the bigger contests, boosting morale among the team and connections.
Reflection on a Record-Breaking Day
The 2025 Snake Gully Cup Carnival will be remembered as a high point for country racing in Australia, blending tradition with modern incentives like Big Dance eligibility to attract top regional talent. The track surface, rated a perfect Good 4 from start to finish despite warm spring conditions, held up impeccably under the rigours of 48 runners across the day, allowing the equine athletes to push the boundaries of speed and endurance, none more spectacularly than Ticklebelly in the feature race. Her track-record performance, achieved under handicap conditions against quality opposition, serves as a resounding testament to the quality and depth of regional horses now competing for metropolitan honours through innovative pathways like the Big Dance.
The day’s results—from the dominant and statement-making maiden win by Silver Serenade that kicked off proceedings with authority, through the tight, contested Class 1 finish rife with drama and objections, to the historic Cup victory that rewrote the record books—collectively showcase the incredible depth, competitive spirit, and unpredictable excitement of the region’s racing scene.
With the 1400m track record now lowered to an ambitious 1:21.21, the challenge has been emphatically set for future contenders in one of the most exciting and beloved races on the country calendar, ensuring the Snake Gully Cup’s legacy continues to grow.
– Tully Potts
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