Uncommon James breaks drought in Moreton Cup

Uncommon James snapped a more than three‑year drought in the Group 2 Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm, sparking emotional scenes from breeder‑owner Caitlin Hoysted and trainer husband Matt.

Emotion overflowed as Queenslander Uncommon James cracked a winning drought of more than three years and breeder Caitlin Hoysted jumped into the arms of her trainer husband Matt.

Uncommon James had not won since scoring the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in February 2023, but punters jumped out of trees to back him in the Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm.

The evergreen sprint warrior was sensationally backed from $7.50 into $4.20 in the race which offered the winner a golden ticket into the next Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap.

But seven-year-old Uncommon James is not among the entries for the Stradbroke and won’t be heading there as 1400m is a bridge too far for him.

He ruined the last-gasp Stradbroke prospects of the likes of Boomtown Boss, The Inflictor and Zou Sensation who were aiming to score ballot exemption by winning the Moreton Cup.

Caitlin Hoysted is a former trainer who once saddled up Uncommon James’ mother Pickabee who won five races in the Sunshine State in 2012-13 and was Stakes placed.

Now the owner and the breeder of Uncommon James, Caitlin was overcome with joy.

“It has been so long since Uncommon James won his Group 1 and I think there were quite a few people who were probably bagging him,” Caitlin Hoysted told Racenet.

“We knew he had it in him, he is so lightly raced for his age.

“The wide barrier today wasn’t in his favour and so it was just massive that he got the job done.”

Lindsay Park-trained $31 roughie Oak Hill ran a huge race for second and Manaal ($7) finished third but Uncommon James held all the aces.

The chances of Tony Gollan-trained sprinter Boomtown Boss qualifying for the Stradbroke went up in smoke when he was back near last and having to make up too much ground.

There was no taking away from the win of Uncommon James as Matt Hoysted wiped away tears from his eyes after the race.

“I don’t normally get too emotional at the races, but this horse obviously means the world to us,” Hoysted said.

“It has been a long three years, or over three years, since he has won a race but today looked like a perfect option for him.

“At the set weights and penalties conditions, not having to carry the penalty of his Group 1 win as it was so long ago, it was good for him.

“Credit to Ben Thompson, it was a great ride.

“We were pretty disheartened when the barrier draw came out but we then thought he could map OK, being able to come across with Hidden Wealth.

“We took the blinkers off him, I was a little bit reluctant to do it but it was Ben’s call and it worked a treat.”

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