A review of the Capricornia Yearling Sale Country Cup Raceday

Homebred Grey Wins Magic Millions Country Cup
A homebred grey mare provided Sunshine Coast trainer Krystle Johnston with her first trophy winner in Rockhampton in a long time when it won Friday’s Magic Millions Country Cup (1600m) at Callaghan Park.

Craiglea La Vie, a five-year-old bred by Stan Johnston and his daughter Krystle, was ridden confidently by local jockey Tasha Chambers to win the Cup by about a length from Yubetido (Warwick Satherley) with Maurice’s Medad a similar margin away in third place. The mare had supporters at $9.50 with a win in February at Gayndah, outside of Brisbane over 1400m.Craiglea La Vie is by the Johgnston’s stallion Citiwyse, a six-time Brisbane winner by More Than Ready from Ellie La Vie. “I’m just so happy to win this race,” Johnston said.

“This mare has had problems and its so rewarding to win a Cup with her. Lightly raced Craiglea La Vie has only had 19 starts and the Country Cup was her fourth victory. The mare looked to be more than handy beating Mr Encore at the Sunshine Coast in a QTIS 3YO race a few years ago, and was placed at Eagle Farm and Ipswich before going amiss and spending time on the sidelines. “She didn’t get to the races for about a year, coming back in June last year,” Johnston said.

Harmony On Song At Local Debut
Jockey Chris McIver was surprised that Universal Harmony failed to post a win at eleven Victorian starts after the gelding spreadeagled its opponents in the Len Milner Memorial Maiden Handicap (1100m) at Callaghan Park today.

McIver put the handlebars down out of the barriers and from the outside gate assumed control of the race before the first turn. At one stage he was six lengths in front. He never looked likely to lose. A former Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained galloper Universal Harmony had shown a lot of promise in the south with six minor placings and after an impressive Rockhampton jump out recently the punters rallied to support him at his local debut and the galloper started the $1.40 favourite.

“I thought I won by further than he did, he was travelling quickly all the way,” McIver said. The winning margin was almost three lengths. Sheza Alibi (Tash Chambers) ran second with Okanui (Liv O’Donnell) third almost five lengths from the winner. McConachy said he thinks Universal Harmony has a future in CQ.

“He will win more races here and the owners will have a lot of fun with him,” he said. The Milner Family were at Callaghan Park to present the owners, trainer and jockey with the trophies. The RJC paid tribute to Len Milner, a truly iconic stalwart of CQ thoroughbred racing and breeding, who passed away in March 2023.

Billy Goes Boom In QTIS Maiden
Sunshine Coast trainer Darryl Hansen produced a promising galloper in Billy Boom to win the QTIS 3YO Maiden (1200m).

Named after its managing owner CQARC president Bill Reid, Billy Boom scored its first win at its fourth start. Ridden by Justin Huxtable, Billy Boom looked very new and after racing in the pact he it the front too early, according to his jockey. “He had a good look around, and was very green,” Huxtable said. A half-brother the well-performed Brisbane galloper Metalart, Billy Boom is a gelding by Spirit of Boom. The galloper was a second leg of a race-to-race double for Tony Fenlon, who shares in the ownership of both Universal Harmony and Billy Boom.

Huxtable Lands s Double With Last Race Win
Justin Huxtable rode a winning double when Toowoomba galloper, Been A Secret won the Class 1 Handicap (1200m).

The Spill The Beans four-year-old trained by Pat Webster had the form on the board and Huxtable put it in the best position to win. In racebook order, Bello Bello (Chris McIver) finished well for second place ahead of fast-finisher Nicconori (Liv O’Donnell). Been A Secret was reared by KBL Thoroughbreds, Brad Lowe and Kandice Pritchard were trackside to see the galloper win at Callaghan Park

Vale Has Carnival Plans For Early Fusion
Four-year-old gelding Early Fusion could be an ideal candidate for the Mackay Newmarket, trainer Ricky Vale said after it led from barrier to post to win the BM70 Handicap (1100m).

Having its first start since the end of last year when it posted back-to-back wins in Mackay, Early Fusion was ridden by McKenzie Apel to win comfortably by almost a length and a half over Sunshine Coast galloper Bold and Smooth (Leah Martyn) and Diddly Squat (Nikki Olzard). “The way this horse races, I think the Newmarket in Mackay is an ideal target for him and he continues in the right direction that’s where he will be headed,”
Vale said.

The trainer purchased the gelding as a maiden online last May for $13,000. Originally the son of Headwater, a graduate of the 2022 Magic Millions Sale was with Anthony Cummings. Vale has now won six races with Early Fusion, but Friday’s win was his first at Callaghan Park. His other wins were in Mackay, Townsville and Yeppoon.

Daimyo Wins a Rib Tickler
“That’s a rib tickler of a finish, Russell Leonard broadcast when three horse hit the line with a nose separating them in the Benchmark 60 Handicap (1050m).

Ash Butler riding the Nick Walsh-trained Japanese-bred Daimyo arrived in time to get the prize but not before he gave his army or supporter heart-palpitations. Daimyo, the $2.50 fav., was behind a wall with 300 metres to go and Buter had to switch around heels to get clear running to the line. When he did the Lord Kanaloa 5YO rocketed home to score by a nose, Canny Be Better (Nikki Olzard) and Prince Sooview (Justin Huxtable) dead-heated for second place.

Daimyo has had back-to-back Rockhampton wins and a second placing in Mackay from three starts for Walsh. The galloper formerly raced in the Northern Rivers of NSW.

Toowoomba Galloper Travels Sweetly For Overdue Win
South Sea’s victory in the Class 3 Handicap (1400m) meant a lot to Toowoomba’s Stephen and Catherine Kirkwood from SMKT Thoroughbreds.

South Sea is one of a team of five that the Kirkwood’s brought to Rockhampton for the two- day Capricornia Yearling Sale racing carnival. They purchased the son of Rich Enuff as a weanling for $20,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale in 2021 and Friday’s win was his second from 11 starts, taking his earning to over $50,000.
The addition of blinkers to South Sea’s gear helped the gelding concentrate, according to jockey Sean Cormack who positioned the galloper in a good spot early before bringing him home with a winning charge.

“The blinkers were the trick, he was always going to be the best horse in the race from where he was positioned,” Cormack said. The Kirkwood’s said South Sea has proven to be a handful to get right but he appreciated the spacious Callaghan Park track. “He has found trouble in his races at Eagle Farm and Ipswich, but today he had the room to run,” Stephen Kirkwood said.

“This trip away will him the world of good, he travelled well up to Rocky and is enjoying life, it could make him a better horse.” South Sea the $2.30 fav., raced away to score by almost 2 lengths from Our Turn Now (Ryan Wiggins) with Rideau (Justion Huxtable) beaten 3.72 lengths in third place.

By David Aldred CEO – RJC