By Rockhampton Jockey Club CEO Ian Mill
Good morning, good afternoon or is it good night readers? Whatever, very pleased as usual to be back with you all.
As I have been constantly reminding you, the Rockhampton Jockey Club’s Winter Racing Carnival is just around the corner so to speak.
Our two big days are of course the Rockhampton Newmarket Day on Friday, July 7 and the gala Rockhamp- ton Cup meeting on Saturday, July 8. Over those two days of consecutive racing some $929,000 is there to be won. Phenomenal when you think of it, is it not? Of course the Winter Carnival gets under way much earlier. In reality it comes about next Saturday, June 17 when the Rockhampton Girls Grammar School present its 21st such meeting at Callaghan Park. The school has played an integral role with the development of not only its students but also Rockhampton itself.
I did a little research and discovered the RGGS officially commenced operations on March 11, 1892.
If I have done my maths correctly that was 131 years ago. The initial enrolment was 33 day students and four boarders. A far cry from 2023 when there are 390 enrolments comprising 283 day students and 107 boarders. With such a long and vibrant history just about everyone in Rockhampton has a link in some way with the school. That is one of the reasons its race meeting has become so successful. There is news galore on the Rockhampton Girls Grammar School’s Race Day on the RJC Facebook page as to what is happening. Also on that informative social media outlet all details of the many entertainment and social events running preced- ing and during the Carnival. Incidentally, for the lovers of history among you readers, the Rockhampton Jockey Club’s first race meeting took place on Thursday July 22, 1869. So both institutions have been around a long time that is for sure.
The June 17 race meeting is the last such Saturday Callaghan Park race meeting here before Rocky Cup Day on July 8. However, the RJC will stage the Tattersall’s Race Club Cup meeting at Callaghan Park on Sunday, June 25. It is preceded by the Tatts Sprint on the Friday, June 23. Now defunct, Rockhampton’s Tattersall’s Racing Club goes way back before the turn of the last century. The North Rockhampton Tattersall’s Race Club raced as far back as 1893 a year after the opening of the RGGS. Remiss of me if I did not mention but the weather conditions for Saturday, June 17 races at Callaghan Park are predicted to be ideal.
Better still spectacular, ranging from 9 to 25 degrees. A beautiful Rockhampton Winter’s Day to go racing and perfect for Fashions On The Field.
Speaking of the Rockhampton Winter Racing Carnival, last Saturday I accompanied club chairman Rob Carr and race caller Russell Leonard to Brisbane to promote such. We attended trackwork at Eagle Farm racecourse from 5am Saturday morning and spoke to numerous trainers, in an effort to entice them up for the Carnival. At the races that afternoon we followed up by meeting many trainers in the trainers’ bar. It was a pleasant and congenial experience I can assure you but quite often a down to earn means of getting your message across. Not only did we speak with the regular trainers from down there who travel their horses to Rockhampton but also a few others who have not ventured up to Rockhampton to race. All in all, we had a very good response and I am confident that we will see a number of new faces among the trainers from Bris- bane competing up here at the Carnival.
Once again, this year we have two sizeable cash prizes for the leading trainers in two categories over the New- market and Cup race days. A cash sum of $20,000 will be paid to the visiting trainer who accrues the most points on a win and placegetters allocation over those days. Similarly, a prize of $5000 will be paid to the leading local trainer. The reasoning is simple. Big fields with name horses provided by well known trainers entice top jockeys to ride and stimulate betting turnover which is the lifeblood of racing. I am unaware of any other regional race clubs in Queensland or even further afield which provides such lucrative enticements.
Among those faces (not in the training ranks) heading this way for the first time will be Jason Scott the new CEO of Racing Queensland. Jason will be staying in Rockhampton for the extent of the Carnival from Thurs- day, July 6 before returning to Brisbane on the following Sunday. Naturally, Jason will be attending the Cal- cutta Luncheon on Thursday, July 6. Special guests will be Alan Jones AO and the comedian Vince Sorrenti. It will be an afternoon of first-class food and beverages. Tickets are on sale now at $225 for RJC members as well as $250 for non-members. The Rockhampton Cup Calcutta will be conducted by Russell Leonard while he will also be interviewing Alan and Vince. Once again, all the details for the packages available over the duration of the Winter Racing Carnival are on the club’s Facebook and Website page.
Also, we have had a good response from the advertisement placed offering employment positions with the club for trackwork riders.
Through committee person Jeff Leaver a good relationship was established with two immigration agents in sourcing some overseas candidates to fill the roles. Jeff put a fair bit of work into sourcing out the possibilities of this arrangement and now I have taken over the reins. We have two candidates interested in filling the void of track work riders at Callaghan Park which is problem Australia wide.
If we can recruit a suitable person or persons to fill this, the RJC believe it will be of great benefit to trainers at trackwork sessions at Callaghan Park of a morning who are struggling to get their horses worked. The club will pay the wage of the successful candidate/candidates and then bill the trainers who engage them to ride their horses work of a morning. I will keep you in the loop as this gains momentum.
Also, the RJC is conducting a survey among vendors and members of the buying bench in relation to this year’s Capricornia Yearling Sale. The RJC which convened the CYS had a sizeable catalogue of yearlings on offer in 2023. We hope the survey will offer suggestions which could improve figures for the 2024 CYS. New Callaghan Park trainer Gary Clem, a recent arrival from Bundaberg should not have much trouble in winning a races or races up here with his speedster King Claus. Last Monday at Callaghan Park the sprinter
looked very sharp in winning a trial over 900 metres from the Tim Cook trained Leadership Spill which also performed pleasingly. King Claus ran brilliant time in posting 55.56 seconds for the dash and that is rarely achieved or bettered at Callaghan Park in trials.
Also liked the way that Clinton Taylor’s Princess Tenko trialed in running 55.66 seconds in winning her heat. Put them both in your Black Book readers.
Until next week,
Yours in Racing, Ian Mill.