Sport
31 August, 2026
Tolga trainer claims fifth Cairns Cup
TOLGA trainer Janel Ryan lived up to her reputation as the ‘queen of country racing’ when Choir Boy gave her a fifth Cairns Cup at Cannon Park on Saturday.
By GLENN DAVIS
Choir Boy, a horse who survived a serious leg injury just over a year ago, proved too strong for Brisbane galloper Zoology with a dominant performance for a near two-length win in the 2100 metre feature.
Coming off a last-start Banana Cup victory at Innisfail, Choir Boy was well ridden by jockey Ivo Fry to claim his 13th win in 62 starts and his eighth under the guidance of the American-born Ryan.
“I thought he could win on his recent form as he’s been carrying big weights in his recent starts,” Ryan said.
Ryan will now try to qualify Choir Boy, who is lucky to still be racing, for the Country Cups Challenge Final at Doomben in December.
“He got an infection in his leg a couple of starts after he won the Laura Cup last year,” Ryan said.
Ryan landed in Australia decades ago and spent 11 years in Cairns before moving to Tolga on the Atherton Tablelands over a decade ago.
Along with her husband Ronnie, the pair have won a host of features in North and Far North Queensland.
Ryan had previously won the Cairns Cup four times with Pretty Fox, Sea Fight, We Just Love It, and Tutelage.
