Callaghan Park Race Review: 25 February.

CAULFIELD GROUP FORM POINTS TO ROCKHAMPTON WINNER

A month ago, Cultural Spirit finished just four lengths astern of Jenni The Fox in a Maiden at Cranbourne.

Last Saturday, Jenni The Fox ran out of her skin to place second in the Group 2 – Angus Armanasco Stakes at Caulfield. “That had to be a good pointer for the form students, didn’t it,” Cultural Spirit’s trainer Kerrod Smyth said.

Ridden by former Rockhampton schoolgirl, the now Toowoomba-based apprentice jockey Liv O’Donnell, Cultural Spirit led from start to finish to win the Maiden Handicap (1400m) on Tuesday at Callaghan Park.

O’Donnell let the big strider find momentum and the 3YO gelding rolled along nicely in front. “He changed legs on the corner, otherwise he was comfortable,” O’Donnell said. “He is still learning too.” By Vancouver Cultural Spirit has had two starts for Smyth finishing unplaced at his first local start over 1200m earlier this month. Starting at $5.50 he beat the favourite Warna (Ash Butler) by a long neck with two lengths to Latin Love (Justin Stanley). Before joining Smyth’s stable Cultural Sprit had run some encouraging races on Victorian country and provincial tracks. Cultural Spirit is by unbeaten Golden Slipper winning 2YO Vancouver from the Encosta de Lago mare Solid Bullet.

FRONTRUNNER LET’S GO

With jump and run tactic applied by apprentice McKenzie Apel, Letmeletgo led all the way to win Callaghan Park’s Open Handicap (1200m) on Tuesday.

In what seemed a track pattern for the day, the front runners dominated proceedings with Letmeletgo safely holding its fast-finishing stablemate Fine Shot (Justin Stanley) with Doubting Eye (Warwick Satherley) in third place. The win was Letmeletgo’s 11^th from 45 starts. Letmeletgo found the form that carried him to two victories in Mackay and November in January and started at the luxury odds of $13. Stablemate Fine Shot, the $1.65 favourite, was eating up the turf late. “This track is made for frontrunners today, it’s fast and the backmarker can’t give them a start,” Walsh lamented.  Fine Shot finished less than a half length from the winner. Doubting Eye was beaten 2 lengths with the winner clocking 1.08.8, just over a second outside Princess Tenko’s track record.

PHANTOM FLIES IN TO GIVE APEL A WINNING DOUBLE

Local trainer Jim Lewis had a welcome change of luck winning the BM55 Handicap (1300m) with 20/1 longshot Phantom Flight.

Registering its second win at its 14^th race start, Phantom Flight provided apprentice McKenzie Apel with the second leg of a winning Callaghan Park double.

Apel rode the 4Yo Trapeze Artist gelding perfectly box-seating the three leaders before coming with a well-timed run in the home straight. Phantom Flight won the prize by a short neck from one of the leaders Run Away Renee (Justin Stanley) with Holy Crown (Sean Cormack), another of the leaders about a length away in third place. Fourth placed Big Shooter got back in the ruck and worked home solidly for Liv O’Donnell and Kerrod Smyth to snare fourth place, less than 2 lengths from the winner. Lewis picked up Phantom Flight last April at an online Inglis Sale for just $5,000. From the good producer Yosei, Phantom Flight bred by Widden Stud was first sold as a yearling for $240,000. Phantom Flight started his career in Sydney and showed some ability at the trials but couldn’t produce the form on race day. Lewis has now won two races in Rockhampton with the gelding who scored its Maiden victory defeating Mr. Grey at Callaghan Park last July.

ACTON’S BETTER ACRES WINS EASILY AT ROCKY DEBUT

Tom Acton was on track to watch his three-year-old filly Better Acres win its first race at its third start at Callaghan Park on Tuesday.

The Tom Smith trained daughter of Better Than Ready and the So You Think mare, Better Acres had lengths on its opposition winning the QTIS 3YO Maiden (1200m) officially by four lengths from Tim Cook’s Three Tees with race favourite Offango, the stablemate to the winner in third place five lengths from the winner. Despite easing in the betting, Better Acres never looked like being beaten. Justin Stanley got a flying start on the stylish filly and although it was unplanned took up the front running position and travelled sweetly while Ash Butler found bother back in the small field on Offango. Georgina Cartwright momentarily challenged the winner, but its run was short lived with Better Acres having plenty in reserve. Better Acres was making its Callaghan Park race debut after easily winning a trial at the track a fortnight earlier. It was the filly’s third race start after having two runs for The Tonny Gollan stable last preparation. Stanley said Better Acres switched off in the run. “She got to the front easily but wanted to switch off, so I gave her one reminder to keep her concentration,” he said. The jockey told Acton that he should have plenty of fun with the filly here. “She a nice horse with plenty of improvement in her,” he said.

REAL HEAD BOBBER IN CLASS 2 PLATE

Sunshine Coast galloper Limero and the local Outback Bandit went stride for stride to the line in Tuesday’s Class 2 Plate (1200m).

The Stuart Kendrick-trained Limero (Ash Butler) was on a mission to lead and controlled the race but favourite backers were reaching for their rabbit’s foot when the Will Johnston-trained Outback Bandit (Sean Cormack) loomed alongside and momentarily took a narrow lead. Limero fought back boldly, and the pair singled away for a real dogfight. Limero got the bob in for the photo finish and won by a head from Outback Bandit and there was more than three lengths to the third placegetter, the winner’s half-brother, Money Man (Justin Stanley). “I thought we had him but the favourite kept on coming back, my horse was still coming at him at the line,” Johnston said as he watched the slow motion replay of the finish on the big screen. Limero made a hit and run raid from the Coast with his stablemate, with  an attendant travelling with the horses Tuesday morning and returning home after the races. Limero (Lonhro – Limealicious) was a $120,000 yearling at the 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. The Sileas Green-trained Money Man, also formerly trained by Kendrick was a $90,000 buy at the same sale the previous year. While runner up Outback Bandit was purchased by Green Racing for $10,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions March Yearling Sale.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.

Photo Credit: Racing Queensland.