Photo Credit: Caught in the Act Photography
By Rockhampton Jockey Club CEO Ian Mill
Hi readers and another week another column.
Keen racing followers will know that the Rockhampton Jockey Club race again at Callaghan Park racecourse this afternoon Saturday, May 13.
We have a five race TAB program set for decision with the first local race commencing at 1.22pm. Just for something different I will provide you with my selections for the card.
The opening race is for the 2YO’s and all six starters are race winners which means it looks a fairly open affair. I was told when I got involved with horse racing and yes we won’t divulge how long ago that was, to always go for the top weights in 2YO races if they look suitably placed.
I feel Graeme Green’s Shamedy fits this pattern with barrier I and Chris Whiteley to ride.
Admittedly he is topweight with 60.5kg to carry but he is the only runner in the field to have won twice. His trainer Graeme Green is a master with youngsters so I will go for Shamedy – Race 1 and saddlecloth 1. The second race looks ready made for Clinton Taylor’s Rovers Pepper.
He is a very promising horse and I for one can’t see him getting beaten in this race over 1400 metres.
Now to the third race. The fact that GR 1 winning trainer Natalie McCall is floating just the one horse Smash- ing Plates up to from Caloundra to race at Callaghan Park today says a lot.
That will do me so let’s make it Smashing Plates as TAB number I in the third race at Rockhampton today. Remember that today for these tips is Saturday, May 13. Three down two to go, so by now you should be cashed-up.
Local trainer Ricky Vale has been in very good form and that should continue here with TAB number 2 in Seisme in the fourth race. This guy is the brother to the earlier Vale stable stable star Namazu which ran fourth in The Archer last Sunday week here.
Two starts two good Rockhampton placings for Seisme spells out a win for him today readers. Hardest for him to beat will be Garnett Taylor’s Caloundra traveller Playful Passion. The last race is the hardest on the program.I’ll go with Garnett Taylor’s Number 9 horse Patti’N’Fay.
I reckon any trainer that floats horses up from the Sunshine Coat to Rockhampton with so many delays and 60 klm zones on the Bruce Highway must really believe they can win. That’s my theory so let’s see how it pans out. Trainer Graeme Green mentioned in conversation we had this week that as far as the float trip meant he wasn’t looking forward to taking Master Jamie down to race in Brisbane again today. Can’t blame Graham as it is a nightmare drive and about a 10 hours trip. Good luck Graham and Jamie in the Open Handicap over the 1600 metres trip at Doomben. Master Jamie has a wide daw at barrier 12 to overcome but a good weight with 55.5kg. Bubba Tilley has the ride and he looks an each way chance to me. Master Jamie hasn’t won a race since taking out the 2022 Rockhampton Cup (1600m) but he has run plenty of places since then. For sure Green will have the 2022 Cup winner set for this year’s Rockhampton Cup on Saturday, July 8.
Readers for as long as I can remember I have been telling you all about a “sure fire system “ if there is such a thing in how to back winners at Mackay TAB race meetings. It is simple really just back Rockhampton
trained horses. At the Mackay TAB race meeting last Tuesday, the local trainers from Callaghan Park, Rock- hampton scooped the pool. They won all seven races on the Mackay program. No it really happened. All seven winners at Mackay were trained out of Rockhampton.
Local Callaghan Park trainer Jamie McConachy started the ball rolling winning in the first Mackay race on the program with Uno Artie ridden by Ashley Butler. Uno Artie scored at tomato sauce (in the red) odds of
$1.16 and of course favourite which in the old term of odds about 1/5 favourite. Bolted in by the way winning by three and a half-lengths.
Next up Ricky Vale trained the first of his two winners in Flop Turn River handled by jockey Bubba Tilley at
$3.70. It beat its stablemate and race favourite Eye Pee Oh Ready (Ryan Wiggins) at $2.45. Ricky Vale won later during the race day with Patrolling(Wiggins) which was a $2.80 chance.
Nick Walsh with a current winning strike rate for this season running at about 50 % (one winner to every two starters) landed Vila Tinto (Ryan Wiggins) which went to the post as a hot pot $1.95 favourite.
Another Callaghan Park trainer in Tim Cook produced the upset of the meeting with $15.00 winner Schap- pose ridden by very promising apprentice Erin Molloy. Jared Wehlow scored at Mackay also with Letmeletgo (Wiggons) as a $6.00 pop. The lucky last went the way of Kerrod Smyth trained Tricky Beans. Readers no prizes for guessing who rode Tricky Beans a $2.10 shot. Yep Ryan Wiggins making it four for the afternoon.
Rockhampton horses accounted for 33 of the starters at the Mackay Turf Club races last Tuesday. In one race Callaghan Park horses made up the entire field. It appears that Mackay race meetings generally are reliant on Rockhampton trained horses. That trend has never been more so evident than last Tuesday.
Special mention by the way to trainer from Callaghan Park in Jamie McConachy. Just 24 hours after Jamie won the first race at Mackay last Tuesday with Uno Artie, he did a similar feat way down at Ipswich. There he won with the Graceville Thoroughbreds owned City Mission in a QTIS M 65 (1680m) ridden by Jim Byrne.
The Halls from Graceville Thoroughbreds have been having a well-deserved winning trot recently as they also won the $150,000 Capricornia Yearling Sales 2YO Classic (1200m) with Sunnycoast. Jamie McConachy was also the winning trainer.
Preparations are coming along for the Rockhampton Jockey Club Winter Racing Carnival and I refer you to the RJC Callaghan Park Facebook page for details. Among the functions will be The Chairman’s Luncheon in The Members at Callaghan Park on Rockhampton Cup Day on Saturday, July 8. This will include a three- course lunch and a beverage package.
After the races on Cup Day there will be an After Party with music from The Dawn and The Sax Band.
As I say the full details are available on the club’s sites. We are also advertising the Precinct in The Amateurs Lounge on Rocky Cup Day. It is all there on the sites providing the details. Another option will be the Pad- dock in the Betting Ring with packages available for there as well. We will also be planning a Cup Calcutta Function and more details on that next week.
Finally, don’t forget the first of the RJC’s big Saturday race meetings fast approaching and that is Saturday, June 17. None other than The Girls Grammar School Race Day. It is the 21st anniversary. It will be themed along the lines of Vintage to celebrate the School’s Roaring 20s’.
Organisers re asking guests and racegoers to dress in race day fashion inspired by the early 20th century. Sounds very interesting readers. Once again go to the websites for the options on the race day packages for Saturday, June 17.
Take care race readers and happy days, and stay well with winter upon us. Yours in Racing – Ian Mill.
Nearly forgot to add we race again at Callaghan Park, Rockhampton next Thursday, May 18.
By the way Racing Queensland has added an extra race to that program which is a $21,000 Open (1050m). Could be a nine-race program.