Racing near and far, nuptials and news from the jockey ranks.

Premier Rockhampton trainer Clinton Taylor, well known for being in for the “long haul “with his horses will be clocking up the kilometres in the next 10 days floating them north along the Bruce Highway. Give or take a few kilometres, I estimate around 2816km all up after return float trips to Mackay and Cairns. Clinton has no fewer than 10 horses entered for Saturday’s Mackay Cup races and will be taking “three or four” horses to race at the Cairns Newmarket Raceday on Saturday, August 17. Callaghan Park trainers have 38 horses entered for Mackay with among others Ricky Vale (10) and Jared Wehlow (6) nominating that number. 

Taylor believes that Kick On Command, a winner of his last two starts deserves his chance in the $150K Mackay Cup (2000m) headed in the weights by last Saturday’s Townsville Cup (2000m) winner Warp Speed. “I know it is a lot stronger opposition that he has been meeting but any horse which has won six from nine starts is worth putting in the stronger company,” he said. Kick On Command (b g 6 Scissor Kick-Zabelka x Zabeel) was a last start winner of the $35K Black Memorial (1800m) on July 26, the traditional lead up at Mackay’s Ooralea Gardens racetrack to Saturday’s Cup. The same winning jokey, Brisbane’s Sam Collett has retained the ride. Ricky Vale has Fighting Commando penned-in, while Graeme Green has the highly promising Top Spy among the 25 Cup entries. Jared Wehlow’s Major Artie is likely to start in the Cup as well after his sound third in last Saturday’s Townsville Cup. Major Arties subsequent mission will be at Cairns. “He’ll go up for Cairns Cup ($150,000 – 2100m) on Saturday, August 24,” Jared Wehlow said.

Honkytonk Diva, the recent winner of the $100K Rocky Newmarket (1300m) will have her last start in the $75K Cairns Newmarket (1400m) on Saturday week August 17. Clinton Taylor pardoned her form blemish when just under four lengths away nineth of 14 to Outback Action in the Mackay Newmarket (1300m) on July 26. “The race was badly run, and they walked in front. She needs the speed on, and the race tempo just didn’t suit her,” Clinton told me. Honkytonk Diva (ch m 5 Under The Louvre -Dulacca Diva) has won nine times and recorded another nine placings for $376,625 in stakes. She will be retained by her owners the Gibson family and at this stage her “sugar daddy” (stallion) to be mated with has not been decided.  

Congratulations Mrs. Brooke and Mr. Nick Walsh on your wedding just a few days ago with the venue being The Paddock, Yeppoon. The Callaghan Park training couple will be hoping for an ideal wedding gift in Sailor’s Rum by winning the $75K Magic Millions Whitsunday Guineas (1500m) at Mackay this coming Saturday. 

More good news, talented Rockhampton apprentice jockey Brooke Johnson is back in the saddle riding a limited few horses daily trackwork at Callaghan Park. Brooke with 90 wins alongside her name was stopped in her tracks when a horse she was leading on foot, lashed out and seriously injured her right arm in early June. She has not ridden in a race since Callaghan Park on May 31. Brooke subsequently underwent surgery on the arm. “Ï had a plate and six screws in my arm and I dislocated the elbow as well,” Brooke recalled. Just last week Brooke, a natural lightweight and indentured to Clinton Taylor was cleared by her doctor to resume riding limited trackwork. “Ï’ve been riding two up to five a morning. I go back to the doctor on September 25 and hope to get a clearance to ride in races again,” Brooke said. Brooke is a gifted young rider, and she is sorely missed in the jockeying ranks in Rockhampton. 

BRIEFLY: Former Rocky apprentice Nikki Olzard, now with Raymond Williams at Emerald is not one to do things by half measures. Last Saturday, Nikki, who has only been riding for about 18 months rode an enviable four winners at Tambo races. That’s nothing new as Nikki did likewise at Ilfracombe less than a month earlier on July 17 with an identical four winners. Just a shame Nikki, with 60 wins on her CV, is in the heavyweight range for an apprentice. However, now as “happy as “in Emerald she will ride winners galore if she can control her weight. Congratulations Rocky’s hard working young trainer Sileas “Mully” Green on her training double with Chaseton and Dragon’s Snip (looked an absolute treat pre-race) at Keppel Park last Saturday. Mully was on hand working as usual with the horses while also attending to the needs of infant son Tyler James born on July 24. Happy birthday also to Mully’s partner Adrian Coome’s mother Sharon Lea Coome on her birthday last Sunday. Saturday’s Gladstone Cup meeting is being billed as the biggest ever staged at Ferguson Park with a massive crowd expected. Good news is that with only Mackay, Central Warrego, Innisfail and Muttaburra racing on the same day, according to club president David Weinert “12 or 13” jockeys have indicated their plans to ride at Gladstone. At this stage (Wednesday) afternoon John Wigginton plans to start Bencoolen which drew 20 at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday. With scratchings and emergencies Bencoolen, a last start Callaghan Park winner is likely to jump from 12 barrier. Stablemate the talented 3-Y-O Electric Brae drew gate 5 in his race. 

Happy Horses everyone and don’t forget racing again at Callaghan Park on Thursday, August 15. 

 Tony McMahon.