Flash Aah's part-owner Pat Fulton was in her Darwin jewellery store last Friday when decided to catch a last-minute flight to Queensland

Flash Aah's part-owner Pat Fulton was working in her Darwin jewellery store last Friday when she succumbed to a nagging feeling that she needed to board a flight to Queensland to watch the veteran gelding contest the $250,000 Ipswich Cup.
She had dreamt of the horse charging down the straight at Ipswich the night before and her gut instincts were screaming 'you have to be there to watch this race'.
So the 73-year-old Fulton decided to embark on a spur-of-the-moment 3000km journey from the Top End to southeast Queensland.
She rang her travel agent at 10am on Friday, just over 29 hours before the 2150m Listed race was due to jump, and booked the red-eye flight to Brisbane, arriving at 5:30am on Saturday.
She then caught a bus to Gatton, where her sister Judy Schloss lives on a farm, before heading to Ipswich for the city's gala cup day.
It turns out her instincts were spot-on as $31 roughie Flash Aah flew down the outside to cause a monumental upset in the Ipswich Cup and break a 1000-day winless drought.
That's when the tears started to flow for Fulton, who is part of an ownership syndicate that includes her brother Terry, sister-in-law Narelle and Toowoomba trainer Troy Pascoe and his mum Sue.
There were tears of joy too, given that Fulton had bet $50 each way on Flash Aah at the juicy price of $40.
• 'He's found his home': Flash Aah springs monumental Ipswich Cup upset
'I was sitting in my jewellery shop on Friday morning and it just clicked that I needed to be down here (in southeast Queensland),' she said as her voice cracked with emotion.
'I had a dream on Thursday night. Flash was in the race running, and then I woke up.
'You get to the stage where life is so short that you just have to seize the moment.
'I could've stayed up in Darwin and watched it on the big screen with a few friends but it wouldn't have been the same.'
Flash Aah, the son of Lucas Cranach, has been on a remarkable journey himself, culminating in his stakes win last Saturday, his fifth race under Ipswich-born trainer Pascoe.
He started his racing career in November 2018 and has been through eight different stables, winning eight of 47 races and collecting $683,000 in prizemoney along the way.
His last victory came in April 2022 when the rising 10-year-old won a Benchmark 100 race (1400m) under the guidance of Victorian trainers Natalie Young and Trent Busuttin.
@IpswichTurfClub pic.twitter.com/MueblBazNK
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025
'His best trainer is Troy, who's brought him back a treat,' Fulton said.
'We were just so happy that Troy could puff his chest out and say 'I've got a winner'.
'It was just magic. It's been a marvellous journey with Flash and hopefully it hasn't finished yet.
'This is the highlight of my year. I don't think I'll experience a moment like that again but having said that, you never know what Troy has up his sleeve for Flash.
'Flash turns 10 in August so we don't want to overcommit him. He'll let us know when he's ready to retire.'
"I never lost faith in him"
Dedication has paid off for Troy Pascoe after Flash Aah won the TAB Ipswich Cup at double-figure odds! @IpswichTurfClub @RaceQLD pic.twitter.com/UekQ9QZYPS
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025
•
The emotions were still running at fever-pitch for Fulton when she boarded a flight back to Darwin on Sunday night.
'I've got to compose myself,' she said before continuing.
'The race panned out beautifully for us and when he started to come down the outside, me and Narelle knew he was going to win.
'That's paid for his feed for the next 12 months. The emotions were very high.
'My sister and I sat down at the Ipswich race club that night and we had a few drinks. I knocked off half a bottle of wine on my own! It was an amazing day.'
@IpswichTurfClub @RaceQLD pic.twitter.com/8yjzwLcEiS
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025
Pascoe said on Monday that Flash Aah would likely run next in the $300,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on July 5.
'Pat asked me if he can run his final race in the Darwin Cup next year so I might just do that,' he said with a laugh.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

ABC News

27 minutes ago

• ABC News

InZane Rugby League - Should the Tigers let Api go to keep Tallyn Da Silva

On Inzane Rugby League this week Zane Bojack and former Canberra Raiders halfback Sam Williams discussed the prospect of the Wests Tigers losing Tallyn Da Silva off the back of seeing Lachie Galvin in a Bulldogs jersey. The pair discussed the merits of Peter V'Landys and the ARL Commission trying to secure an extended broadcast deal from 2028 and what the NRL should do in retaliation to the AFL s cheduling a State of Origin match between WA and Victoria in Perth next year. Zane and Sam also discussed how Origin 2 was won by the Maroons and what the NRL should do to celebrate Alex Johnston's impending try-scoring record.

Perth Now

41 minutes ago

• Perth Now

Rugby Australia warned: Release your Wallabies, or else

The British and Irish Lions have put Rugby Australia on notice, declaring the governing body will be breaking an agreement if they don't release Wallabies players to oppose them in tour games. After touching down in Perth on Sunday night, the Lions attended a Welcome to Country ceremony at Kings Park on Monday ahead of the highly-anticipated three-match Test series against Australia. The first Test will take place at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on July 19, but before that comes a concerted build-up for the tourists. More than 40,000 fans are expected to turn out to watch the Lions take on the Force at Optus Stadium on Saturday night. They will then play the Queensland Reds (July 2), the NSW Waratahs (July 5) and the ACT Brumbies (July 9) before facing a combined Australia and New Zealand outfit in Adelaide on July 12. The Force will unleash Wallabies squad members Nick Champion de Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White against the Lions on Saturday. But complicating matters is the fact the Wallabies take on Fiji on July 6, meaning other Force squad members like Carlo Tizzano, Harry Potter, Jeremy Williams and Ben Donaldson are in camp with the Wallabies and will miss out on the first tour match against the Lions. Australian coach Joe Schmidt was initially keen to protect most of his squad from the tour games, but has since softened his stance somewhat. The Lions want Rugby Australia to make as many Wallabies players as possible available for the tour matches. "The agreement is very clear. It says that Test players have to be released to play in the fixtures leading into that Test series, and so that's our expectation," Lions chief executive Ben Calveley said on Monday. "I think it's really important that these games are competitive. "And it's not just from a performance standpoint. The players do want to test themselves, and they do want to build towards the Test series. "It's also right for the fans and for the broadcasters and the partners and so forth, who are all expecting competitive fixtures, and for the rugby-loving public here in Australia, "We'll play the game at the weekend, and we'll carry on having discussions with Rugby Australia, with (RA chief executive) Phil Waugh and the rest of the executive team." The Lions are licking their wounds following a shock 28-24 loss to Argentina in Dublin last week. Though stung by the defeat, it opened the conversation of whether Argentina or even France deserved to be included on the current rotation of Lions tours. Currently, the Lions only tour every four years, alternating between Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. "We remain open to having discussions about what the future for the Lions may hold, but those conversations are for another time," Calveley said. "You can certainly understand why people will get excited about that sort of a concept (a series in France). "What's not to like about some of those wonderful clubs you could play against and some of those wonderful venues in the summer time as well? "I've seen the feedback over the last couple of weeks from various people ... and it was enormously positive. But we're focused now on this tour. "We haven't made any decisions to go in that direction yet."

News.com.au

an hour ago

• News.com.au

Wyong, Port Macquarie previews: Ron Quinton's winter hot streak to continue

Ron Quinton can ensure the month of June is every bit as merry as the month of May with two more of his hot-winter stable dressed up and ready to win at Wyong on Tuesday. Hall of Famer Quinton led in five winners from just 13 runners in May, three of them attributable to his Wyong -bound Are Ee Que. Quinton's first June winner Signor Tortoni earned the honour and distinction of becoming Quinton's 750th winner. Sydney's eight-times Premiership winning jockey and now six-times Group 1 -winning trainer can take his tally to 751 if and when the lightly-raced Fiery Lass can cash in in the Austbrokers 2YO Maiden Handicap (1350m). Bred by Gall Bloodstock – that's long-term Quinton client and friend Ray Gall – Fiery Lass showed significant improvement from her provincial debut to her second outing, that one at the midweeks. Last of 11 400m out from the winning post at Canterbury, Fiery Lass was warming to the task late, clocking in a diminishing three-and-a-quarter lengths behind the winner Pillow Fight. 'I thought she ran fair the other day but she needed to finish two lengths closer for me to be getting excited,'' Quinton said. 'But I will give her another run. It is only going to be a small field on Tuesday by the look of it. 'The wide draw won't matter to her, she'll probably settle back anyway. 'We'll know a bit more after (Tuesday) but a suitable for her if she is any good.' Fiery Lass is a daughter of William Reid Stakes winner Hellbent who stands alongside his illustrious father I Am Invincible (a Gall-owned racehorse back in the day) at the Mitchell's Yarraman Park Stud. 'I like Hellbent,'' Quinton said. 'I think they (his progeny) just need a fraction of time but I don't mind him at all. 'I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.' Fiery Lass boasts a pedigree so revered that she is destined to one day join Gall's elite broodmare band. Serious breeding buffs will need only to learn that Fiery Lass's sixth dam is the famed Almahmoud. Foaled in 1947, Almahmoud is the grand-dam of breed shaper Northern Dancer and the fourth dam of the incomparable, Danehill. Still on breeding, Quinton has shown himself to be a master of the art, having bred Mnemosyne whose wins for Jack and Bob Ingham included the MRC Thousand Guineas and STC Queen of the Turf Stakes. The Wyong-bound Are Ee Que is another Quinton design. Quinton trained her dam Skein whose short, sharp racing career boasted a barnstorming last to first win at Canterbury. Daughter Are Ee Que's racing pattern couldn't be more different; she's fast from beginning to end – so much so that the daughter of Sidestep has led throughout to win three of her last four starts, all perfectly executed by jockey Madeline Owen. 'Are Ee Que is in good form,'' Quinton began. 'She's been lucky because she's had all these wet tracks which has helped her so much. 'We're hoping she'll run well again (but) there's a pretty big rap on Kris Lees ' horse (Flame Of Hestia) so we'll see what happens. 'Barrier 4 won't be any harm to Are Ee Que. She's not hard to ride, you've just got to rate her a bit and Madeline's been doing that well.' â– â– â– â– â– Minervini chasing more BOBS riches Former South Australian-based trainer Mark Minervini is intent on collecting as much extra cash as he can courtesy of his adopted state's BOBS incentive before the season ends. The one-time master of Morphettville, now a firmly ensconced Novocastrian, Minervini heads to Port Macquarie on Tuesday with BOBS eligible stablemates Mirai San and Tickle Me Pink. Supido gelding Mirai San is sure to have his share of admirers, Minervini being one, when he makes his debut in today's Coolcene Air Conditioning Maiden Plate (1006m) after back to back seconds in his June trials. 'He's had two trials and he trialled well both times,'' Minervini said. 'We're going there anticipating him to run really well. 'He is very athletic and quite sharp, I think the 1000m will be perfect for him. He's drawn well and he's got Luke Rolls to guide him.' Mirai San is a son of former rocket Supido. His grand-dam is Princesa who won the VRC Straight Six and would go on to deliver stakeswinners Star of Giselle and Solicit. Stablemate Tickle Me Pink earned the dubious honour of 'certainty beaten' when she clocked in second to last at Muswellbrook on June 13 when sent out a red-hot $1.85 favourite. 'Wherever she went, she ran into dead-ends,'' Minervini said. 'All things being equal, I really thought she would have won and won easily and I don't often say that after the race. 'She's drawn well on Monday so I would say you might find her in the first two or three, we'll keep her out of trouble. 'I think she is quite a smart filly.' Both of Minervini's Port Macquarie participants will be ridden by Luke Rolls who has built an incredibly successful relationship with Vormista's old trainer. There winning strike-rate going into Monday stands at an enviable 22.7 per cent which increased to 36.4 per cent when placings are added. Minervini meanwhile has paid homage to his one-time 'banner horse' Quick Tempo upon his retirement this week. A winner of more than $500,000, Quick Tempo's premium performances include placings in the Ortensia, Warra and Maurice McCarten Stakes. 'He was fantastic for my stable,'' Minervini says. 'Just after we lobbed up here, he was the flag-bearer for quite a while; I owe him a lot,'' Minervini says. 'We found a great 'forever home' for him. He'll be a pleasure horse for a girl who works for Kris Lees, she always liked him and always wanted him so she's taken him on.'