A Steamy Affair victory: 2022 Dongara Cup winning local trainer and owners happy with Easter long weekend race

Local horse A Steamy Affair took home the choccies on Easter Saturday, winning the Dongara Cup in a tight finish at the Geraldton Turf Club. The six-year old mare beat form predictions ahead of the two favourites, Beaucount and Our Idyll, in race five, the XXXX Dongara Cup at Geraldton. A Steamy Affair performed better than the previous week when she ran ninth in the TAB Touch Geraldton Gold Cup, but trainer Rhona MacPhilomey said she didn’t have much chance with the higher classed competition. “She was in her own grade in the Dongara Cup — the race was well-run and (jockey) Peta Edwards rode her a treat and very comfortably,” she said. “Everything went our way, she was worthy and entitled to the win.” Owner Leslie Allan said they weren’t confident of a win but were hoping she showed up with a place. “It had only been a week between races, but she’s a walker and doesn’t settle,” she said. “We were quietly confident but her competition was Our Idyll, Beaucount and we were worried about Proxy who didn’t fire.” Allan said A Steamy Affair had finished racing for the season and would travel home for a big spell after a wonderful season. “She just tries so hard, she gives it her all,” she said. “She’s not a really big horse or a stunning horse, but she has a big heart.” With two scratchings leaving only seven horses in the race, there was no third dividend. The total prize money was $15,000, with first place $9450, second place $3000 and third place $1350, with the fourth and fifth runners also collecting a percentage of the prize pool.