He's been on one of the most exhilarating rides in racing but for Peter Tighe, any day at the races is still just a bloody good day.
Some see him as the luckiest man alive – buying a yearling with two mates then watching her turn into racing’s supermare Winx.
Those who watched him walk onto Ipswich racetrack on Wednesday saw a bloke with the perpetual half-smile of someone who is by and large pretty happy with life.
He walked off the track as the winner of two races with horses he part-owns, one whose win gave him the impetus to contest the Queensland Derby next Saturday.
“I love coming up here to Ipswich,” Tighe said after Fortified won the Ipswich Cup Tix On Sale Handicap (2210m).
Starting favourite at $2.60, Fortified won by four lengths from Mt Mort Shark ($10) with Dune Forty Five ($11) a further two and three quarters of a length away in third.
“We’re been aiming to qualify him for the Derby. We had him in on Saturday; he was scratched from the Rough Habit.
“This was, like, phase two and for him to go to the Derby he had to win today. We wanted to see him run well, or definitely win; so based on today’s win I can’t see any reason why we won’t be going to the Derby and he should acquit himself reasonably well.
“The further they go, the better he seems to be getting so the distance of the Derby should suit him down to the ground.”
TIGHE WAS at Ipswich to watch his horses race but he was also keen to see Ipswich Turf Club’s redevelopment, especially the Ipswich Events and Entertainment Centre
“I planned on Monday to come here, I put appointments off and did whatever I had to do,” he said.
“I haven’t been here for a good 18 months and it’s the first time I’ve seen the facilities and it’s an absolute credit to the chairman and the board what they’ve done in conjunction with Racing Queensland.
“They should be applauded for the way they’ve set this place up. It looks a treat and it’s got facilities to match. It looks really good and I’m glad I came.
“I know I’ve had a couple of winners but I’m glad to see what they’ve done. I’m very impressed with the whole thing. It puts them up there with one of the best provincial clubs. They always were a good friendly club but now they’re matching that with great facilities.”
He recalled that back in 2000 he owned a horse called Make Mine Magic who won at his first start in a maiden at Ipswich.
Make Mine Magic went on to win 14 races and about $1 million in prizemoney.
The magic of winning a race at Ipswich, topped by a drink in the committee bar hosted by chairman Wayne Patch, remained the same.
“From that day forward, we’ve loved coming here,” he said.
“You don’t always win here - we know you can’t win them all - but when you win, it’s just something special here at Ipswich because I remember back to those days, having a drink in the committee room after a win and it’s bloody fantastic.
“It’s a great, friendly club. That’s why I come back here. Patchy’s the heart and soul of the club and he makes everyone feel welcome.
“He’s the sort of bloke you love to have running a club like this. I’ve walked around and all the staff stop and have a chat and explain what’s going on. I haven’t asked them, they do it off their own bat. The gate man over there [Kerry] and the bloke upstairs [Graeme]. The new CEO Tim [Dunn], he’s a good bloke as well.
“They’re on the right track and I’m looking forward to coming back for the Ipswich Cup. As usual, back to normal - hopefully - this year after the break for Covid last year.
“I’m looking forward to getting back because it’s one of the big days of Queensland racing. A lot of people look forward to that day.”
A fortnight before Cup Day, on June 5, Peter Tighe is one of the guests for the Festival of Horsepower Soiree at Ipswich racetrack.
He’s looking forward to that. But just don’t call him a celebrity. He’s far too humble for that.
“I’m just a bloke that likes horse racing and I’ve been very lucky but I certainly don’t consider myself a celebrity,” he said with a smile.
“But I do like talking about the deeds of Winx and what she did and the journey she took us on.
“Anyone else here could have the same run of luck; we’re all in waiting for that to happen and one day there’ll be another champion that comes and defeats the records of Winx.
“Apart from that, I’ll go anywhere for a race meeting. I love it all.”