It’s the Melbourne Cup of cutting and yesterday belts, buckles and a cool quarter of a million dollars was handed out to the nation’s top horsemen.
Glen Innes rider Rob Hodgman took home the big money from the Futurity Final, pipping Todd Graham by just one point.
With $75,000 up for grabs in the final, 20 of the biggest names in cutting were ready to test their reputations.
With four futurity buckles already under his belt, Todd Graham once again looked dangerous. The Queensland rider was inducted into the Futurity Hall of Fame on Saturday night, Graham was hoping for a fairytale finish with three horses in yesterday’s final.
The only other triple threat was Inverell’s Phil Dawson who scored 144 on Prestige Cat.
Last year’s winner Graham Amos was also back and having recently taken out the Victorian Futurity he too loomed as a treat.
But the day belonged to Pinkett trainer Rob Hodgman who’s been competing at the Futurity for more than two decades.
He’s walked away with silver twice, but yesterday his run as bridesmaid came to an end with a first place performance on EB Mia Cdee.
The win extra sweet for Hodgman, as a part owner in the horse he’ll walk away with half the $75,000 first place prize money.
