Rocky Racing Review: Tuesday 29th July.

Rookie trainer misses out seeing his first horse win

A newly licensed horse trainer based in Bajool, a small rural town with less than 500 people between Rockhampton and Gladstone, got his first winner with his first horse, but he wasn’t at Callaghan Park to see it win.

Aaron Beck, a mines asset manager, was in New York on Tuesday when his two-year-old filly scored a dominant victory at its fourth race start in the Great Northern QTIS 2YO Maiden (1050m) at Callaghan Park.

Beck, a problem solver in his everyday life, was called to Pennsylvania, about two and a half hours southwest of New York to manage an issue for his company’s business.

Beck only got his trainer’s license when he got Next Legacy, who commenced its racing career with a barrier trial in February. The King’s Legacy – Dark filly has raced four times now for a win and three minor placings.

“Aaron is straight off the rank and he’s got a good one,” his, wife, strapper and self-appointed stable manager and spokesperson,” a smiling Rachel Beck said.

“The filly has been building up to this and today was her day, so good.”

Rockhampton Cup winning jockey Raul Silvera Olivera has been doing a lot of the work with the filly, often travelling to Gladstone to ride her trackwork, but this is the first time he has ridden her in a race.

“I ride her a couple of times a week in Gladstone, drive down, it’s been good, she goes really well,” Silvera Olivera said.

Silvera Olivera placed the filly perfectly behind the lead, keeping her settled while a couple went quickly up front. When he decided to make his move, Next Legacy ($3.00) accelerated fast and spaced her opponents.

Next Legacy won by more than three lengths from the $2.70 race favourite Milk Maid (Ash Butler) with three and a half lengths to Viper Room (Scott Sheargold-$21.00)

Aaron Beck purchased Next Legacy online for $1,750 in February 2024.

Nose, by a nose, by a nose

Noses separated the first four horses across the line in a thrilling finish to the LJ Hooker BM65 Handicap (1500m) with Beaudesert galloper Fire King getting the prize.

Ridden by former local rider Scott Sheargold having his first day at Callaghan Park in three years, Fire King ($26.00) hung tough in a charge to the line to hold off Zhuang Zu (Ryan Wiggins – $6.00) with Prepotent (Raul Silvera Olivera – $12.00) centimeters away in third place on the outside of four horses that hit the line locked together. Nondisclosure (Ash Butler – $4.60) was beaten byabout a neck and ran fourth. “I thought he ran well today,” trainer Olivia Cairns said. Dropping back in class Fire King, the winner of almost $500,000, including a Country Cups Challenge victory a couple of years ago, found his fighting spirit when it counted. Runner Up Zhuang Zu looked to be a tad unlucky. Taken back at the start, he made up many lengths to just miss.

Cairns hasn’t been at Callaghan Park for a couple of years and reckons 2021 Rockhampton Newmarket winner Last Chance, Fire King’s half-brother, was her last big race winner here. “Last Chance was definitely my best winner in Rocky in the last few years,” an elated Cairns said. In 2022, Cairns also won a race with Fire King at Callaghan Park and was a regular competitor before moving her stable south.

The former NQ trainer relocated her team to Beaudesert a couple of years ago. The win by Fire King was the six-year-old Worthy Cause gelding’s first this season but he has been a very good horse for the stable.

In 2023 he won the Country Cups Challenge at Doomben and three other races and as a three-year-old, he won the Daintree Guineas in Cairns.

Trainer Shane Sigvart may aim Nondisclosure at the Cairns Cup Carnival in August.

“There are a couple of nice races for him there including the Cups,” Sigvart said.

Those races include the $40,000 Cairns Amateur Cup (1900m), 16 August and the $150,000 Cairns Cup (2100m), 23 August.

One Syndications managing owner Brandon Diplock said Nondisclosure is a one-paced tough horse. “He likes to roll along but he is very one-paced,” Diplock said.

Butler has a winning day in the saddle

Ash Butler rode an early winning double, partnering the winners of the first three races at Callaghan Park.

Townsville’s Georgie Holt trained Time To Prophet, the winner of the TAB QTIS 3YO Handicap (1200m), a promising filly who was given a perfect ride by Butler. He then backed up to win the CQ Fasteners & Construction Supplies BM60 (1050m) on the Ricky Vale trained mare, Pretty Slick.

In the 3YO Handicap, Butler took the box seat behind the lead from barrier rise then waited patiently before pushing the go button in the home straight. Tash Chambers on 60kg topweight Ask Me Mate looked set to score when she assumed control of the race at the 400m, but Butler was just biding his time before making his claim. Time To Prophet ($11.00) railed up to hit the lead close to the line and won by a neck from Ask Me Mate ($2.10) with Elanor Nancy (Bailey Wheeler- $9.00) just over half a length away in third place. Part-owner Shaun Flanagan said a short time after the win that he thought the filly has a good future. “That was an improvement on a couple of her recent runs and a great ride by Ash,” he said.

Local trainer Ricky Vale saddled Time To Prophet at Callaghan Park in Holt’s absence.

Vale’s own runner Pretty Slick was aided by an inside barrier to get the prize in the BM 60 Handicap.

“She has been drawing out at almost all of her runs recently, it makes a difference when you get the right barrier,” Vale said.

Butler cuddled Pretty Slick from barrier 2 and opened up a bit of a gap on the others in the home straight. She went strongly to the line. It was Pretty Slick’s fifth win from 22 starts for owners Bill and Di Ouston and Vale was happy to be able to return her to the winners’ list after a run of outs.

Ä few things went our way, the barrier, the jockey and the distance,” Vale said. “She just doesn’t quite get 1200m these days, so this distance was right for her.”

Pretty Slick ($5.00) defeated Devil Devil (Ryan Wiggins – $2.80) by one-and-three-quarter lengths with the other equal favourite Rideau (Bailey Wheeler – $2.80) in  third place.

Cleveland Bay an option for Taylor-trained Kathy’s Beau

Premier Rockhampton trainer Clinton Taylor will assess his options with Kathy’s Beau in the coming days, but it’s likely it will be the $100,000 Cleveland Bay Handicap (1300m) on August 9 in Townsville.

The gelding won its seventh race in the Book For Caulfield Cup Today Open Handicap (1300m) at Callaghan Park but the race was tinged with sadness following the sudden passing of part-owner Paul Baverstock on Monday.

“Paul’s been a great supporter of the stable, it was sudden and it’s a sad day,” Taylor said.

Kathy’s Beau, wearing Baverstock’s chicken racing silks, has been a great performer for Taylor this season and raced well without placing in both the Rockhampton and Mackay Newmarket’s in recent weeks.

The trainer says he deserves a shot at the Cleveland Bay but he wants to see how the horse pulls up and discuss the prospects with the owners before making any decision.

Starting the $1.55 favourite, Kathy’s Beau (Ryan Wiggins) scored by just over one and a half lengths from $51.00 outsider For Valour (Raul Silvera Olivera) with Grand De Lago (Nat Summers – $31.00) in third place less than three lengths from the winner.

Out Of Luck’s luck continues

It’s a great racing story, Out Of Luck a rehabilitated racehorse purchased for just $1.00, won for the second time in as many starts for trainer Clinton Taylor.

The gelding’s victory in the Class 1 Handicap (1400m) provided Taylor with a winning double. Ridden by Bailey Wheeler, Out Of Luck ($1.75 favourite) chimed in at the right time to defeat Determination (Les Tilley – $5.00) by a head with Sideshow Frankie (Nat Summers – $26.00) not too far back in third place.

Owner Latisha Langbecker purchased the galloper, originally a $180,000 2022 Magic Millions Yearling, for a dollar, after it broke down, and rehab it.

Taylor has had the son of Golden Slipper winner Pierro for just two race starts and won them both. The galloper, formerly with Desleigh Forster at Eagle Farm, where he raced well, arrived in Rocky in great condition and Taylor worked his magic to get him into the winners’ circle. Wheeler rode him to the Maiden win in Mackay, 11 July and was back in the saddle today. The galloper is showing no signs of any issues and looks capable of winning more races.

Jay Bee Ell continues to improve

Julieann Lancaster and Adam Sewell teamed for an overdue victory with Jay Bee Ell in the Frenchville Sports Club Maiden Handicap (1400m).

Jay Bee Ell (Adam Sewell – $13.00) put in a strong finishing burst to beat the Beaudesert-trained Bargara Bound (Scott Sheargold – $18.00) with Villandry (Hannah Richardson – $8.00) a similar distance away in third place. Strong Latte flew home late to take fourth place. It was the eleventh race start for Jay Be Ell and his best performance.

The gelding showed improvement at its previous start when fourth behind Rum Rumble at Callaghan Park over 1200m.

Upturn in the winners’ circle again

Kerrod Smyth produced promising three-year-old Upturn to win its second race this month in the 0-55 Handicap (1200m).

Upturn broke its maiden for Smyth at its eighth starts on 18 July at Callaghan Park with Toowoomba apprentice Chloe Lowe in the saddle and the same partnership was successful again.

“He’s a pretty handy horse, and I have just sold him, so I think the new owner will be happy with him too,” Smyth said.

By Star Turn from a Strategic mare, Upturn started his racing life in Brisbane and is only very lightly raced. “This horse has it all in front of him still,” Smyth said. “And this young girl rides very well too.”

Upturn ($3.30) defeated Electric Brae (Ryan Wiggins – $3.30) by a length with Gilberts Gold (Sean Cormack – $12.00) in third place 4.6 lengths from the winner.

• RJC CEO, David Aldred