Matt McGillivray gets first city winner

Boom country apprentice Matt McGillivray had to overcome a wide trip and a deceptive photo finish before landing his first Brisbane winner on Wednesday.

McGillivray got home on Board Director ($3) by a nose to Umgeni ($10) in the Teddy Bears Picnic Hcp (1110m) at Doomben.

He was Queensland’s leading provincial apprentice on wins in the past 12 months with Board Director his first Brisbane winner, his 51st winner for the 2014-15 season and 100th overall.

The 22-year-old spent his early career at Roma, in western Queensland, with trainer Craig Smith but was so successful it was only a matter of time before he moved to the city.

McGillivray is now with premiership-winning trainer Barry Baldwin, who also spent many years in Roma.

“Mr Baldwin has been very good to me. He takes the time to go through my rides on video and he has been giving me plenty of advise,” McGillivray said.

He said Board Director’s win was a good effort as he had been pushed four deep from his outside barrier in the middle stages.

McGillivray was born in Singapore and moved to Malaysia when he was 13, with his father training in both of those countries. The family later moved to Perth and then to Queensland.

Meanwhile, little known sire Krupt produced a brilliant debut winner in Nardoo ($9) who won the Sky International Hcp (1110m) by 6 1/2 lengths.

Krupt, a Flying Spur stallion who stands at Kooringal Stud near Wagga, was considered a Golden Slipper chance at one stage when trained by Matthew Smith at Warwick Farm.

“Nardoo will be improved by that win and the good thing, there were some wraps on the opposition,” said winning trainer Brenden Mackay.

Article from justhorseracing.com.au

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