As Denice Warren and Andrew Rowe travel to Victoria together for the heats of the Ballarat Cup on Monday, there’s a sense of déjà vu in the air.
You see, Denice and husband Errol used to chaperone ‘Rowey’ from his parents’ home in Dapto to his grandmother’s house at Goulburn 50 years ago.
The latter now returning the favour as both target Group 2 glory across the border.
“Denise asked me if I wanted to take a dog to the Ballarat Cup with her and I knew it was a long drive so I thought it’d be easier if we did it together,” Rowe said.
Rowe on the final night of racing at Dapto
“I’ve been going on road trips with her since I was seven years old, so this is nothing new. Denise and Errol used to be bookmakers at Dapto on Thursday nights and my mum and dad knew them, so after the races, they’d load up all the gear and squeeze me in for the trip to Goulburn as well.”
“They’d drop me off at my grandmothers house. Nan used to leave the key in the front door for me and the Warren’s would always make sure I was safely inside before taking off. I’d stay there for a week or two during school holidays and then come back to Dapto with them as well.”
“They gave me quite a few lifts until I was about 15 and could catch the train. They were the good old days and I was very grateful for their help.”
Denice more than happy to share her memories of those early days as well.
“’Rowey’ was the same back then as he is now, he needed a toe up the backside sometimes,” she laughed.
Denice and Errol Warren with Gold Force after winning the Bulli Gold Cup
“I’m just joking, he was a good kid and it was always nice to help him out. I remember I used to go trialling and he would always come with two things - a dog and his thermos. We’ve had a lot of history together and he’s got a heart of gold.”
“I said to him, “I need a road trip buddy for Ballarat, do you want to come?” And he was more than happy to help out.”
The duo set to lock horns at Ballarat as their respective charges, Taw Galaxy (Rowe) and Gold Force (Warren), battle it out in the third heat of the $40,000 feature.
“I’d be lying if I said I was excited about running into Gold Force,” Rowe laughed.
“He’s a great dog so let’s just hope we can run first and second and get into the final. Both dogs are suited on these bigger tracks and my bloke goes pretty well off wide draws.”
“The locals say the inside is a better place to be at Ballarat but he’ll run straight from Box 8 and he’s pulled up good from his win at Wenty Park [a 29.51 win two weeks ago].”
As for Gold Force, he’s having his first start since a breakthrough win in the Bulli Gold Cup last month.
The son of Aussie Infrared x Silver Scissors also returning to the scene of his maiden Group final – a runner-up finish to Explicit in last year’s Ballarat Cup.
“Last year I left him with Glenn Rounds for the series but this year I’ll hopefully just do the travel myself if he gets through,” Warren added.
“He hasn’t done much since the Bulli Cup. He’s had one trial so I’m not confident…but then again, I’m never really confident.”
“He needs to come out of the boxes and Box 3 might be tricky. I asked ‘Rowey’ to swap me boxes but he politely declined.”
Gold Force and Taw Galaxy will jump in Heat 3 of the Ballarat Cup on Monday night (Race 6 at 8pm).
