Hughes daring to dream big with Lady Rain

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Graham Hughes is daring to dream with talented mare Lady Rain who chases back-to-back wins in Townsville on Thursday.

Lady Rain has been great for Hughes, who also is a part owner of the six-year-old, after he bought her for a paltry $3,000 at an online auction.

Lady Rain will be chasing her sixth win for the Hughes stable when she starts in the Open Handicap over 1400 metres.

Hughes has had great success over the years with cheap buys and is hoping the daughter of Wandjina can earn a start in North Queensland’s premier sprint next year, the Cleveland Bay Handicap at Cluden Park.

“She’s proven she can run up to 1400 metres and she can race on the pace,” Hughes said.

“She’d get in with a light weight in the Cleveland Bay and she never gives up.”

Lady Rain - a Lacey Morrison mount - is coming off a dominant win in the Amateur Sprint in Townsville on November 17.

“She fought on well to win the Amateur Sprint after being niggled along early on,” Hughes said.

“She’s not very big but she’s a real little bulldog and a real fighter and never stops.”

Lady Rain has only had two starts in open company, finishing second at her first attempt at Townsville in late October before winning the Amateur Sprint.

“She just got beaten in a photo at her first open start and then she was very good winning the Amateur Sprint,” Hughes said.

“She should be competitive and Lacey is riding her again as she’s got a real affinity with her.

“If we get a wet track I don’t think that will affect her as she’s won on a heavy.”

Hughes admitted it took some time to work out Lady Rain when she first entered his stable after finishing last of eight in a 1200 metre Class 3 Handicap at Ipswich in March last year.

“It was just common sense really as she’s not very big and I soon found out that she doesn’t like backing up and prefers her races to be spaced,” Hughes said.

The 70-year-old Hughes has been training for half a century and has a team of 12 horses in work. 

“I started training when I was 19 but I took four or five years off,” Hughes said.