Callaghan Park Racing Preview: Saturday 5 July – TAB Rockhampton Cup Day.

Grandad Bell says apprentice jockey Tom won’t be stressed in his debut Rockhampton Cup

Former Brisbane Racing Club chairman, Neville Bell and his wife Mary have won some of Australia’s best races, but even their 1999 Caulfield Cup victory with Sky Heights may take second place in order of importance, if their grandson, apprentice jockey Tom Orr, can win the TAB Rockhampton Cup (1600m).

Orr who has only been competing for just over a year, will ride the Bell-owned Rocky Amateur Cup winner, Executive Stress in the $150,000 TAB Rockhampton Cup on Saturday at Callaghan Park.

A mature-age apprentice, 27-year-old Orr has ridden in races from Mt Isa to Stanthorpe learning his trade as he has progressed to achieving his provincial rider’s license just a fortnight ago.

“I promised him if he got his provincial upgrade that he could ride this horse in the Cup as he knows the horse well,” Neville Bell said.

Orr has already won two races on Executive Stress including a Dalby Amateur Cup.

Neville, Mary and their daughter Kylie, Tom’s mother, will be at Callaghan Park for the Cup.

I haven’t been to watch one of my horses race at Callaghan Park since 2009, so this day is very special for us,” Bell said. We are going to explore the region and stay on for a few days as a family as well, and if we can celebrate with a Cup victory that would be the ultimate.

Bell’s involvement in racing spans half a century and for 26 years he served on the board of the Brisbane Racing Club, 12 as the Club chairman.

But watching his grandson compete and particularly when he rides the family horses is a whole new experience and a level of excitement.

“I never dreamt that I’d have a grandson who would be a jockey, and what Tom has achieved in such a short time has been amazing,” Bell said. “Everything he has done; he has done on his own.”

A proud grandparent, Bell said that he would not have picked that Tom would have be a jockey when he was growing up. “He had little interest in our horses when we had the farm, it was his sisters who were interested in them, Tom was always on a skateboard, tearing around the place at 100 miles per hour or jumping on the trampoline, “Bell said.

His interest in horses and racing developed later in life. “He was working a few shifts at the Galloper’s Club, near the track, and he got to know and interact with a few people in the industry which heightened his interest.”

Orr received an academic scholarship to prestigious Nudgee College and studied at university before deciding on his life change.

“He is so laid back but now so dedicated to his chosen profession it incredible,” Bell said.

“I need to really compliment (trainer) Les Ross for taking Tom under his wing and teaching him how to ride and everything about horsemanship and help him transition from an academic world to the sporting world of horse racing.”

Four of the Pat Webster-trained Executive Stress’ seven wins have been at Callaghan Park and the Bell’s are confident that he will be up to Rocky Cup class.

Webster has saddled The Better Than Ready five-year-old gelding for three wins and Executive Stress has won four of his six appearances at Callaghan Park.

“He loves racing in Rocky, look at his form he has never run a bad race there or been out of the money,” Bell said.

In May, Executive Stress gave the best indicator that he would be up to Rocky Cup class. He won the Rocky Amateur Cup, when ridden by Nikita Berriman, with recent Tattersall’s Cup winner Skyforger, his Webster-trained stablemate, finishing unplaced in the same race. Executive Stress has had two starts since then, finished unplaced at the tight Dalby track, before a good second behind the Darryl Hansen-trained Sian Star, hitting the line hard at the end of the BM 70 (1400m) two weeks ago.

Executive Stress has come up trumps with barrier one in the full field of 16.

Bettcha the Crown, trained by Desleigh Forster, has drawn barrier four and looks a serious contender. Forster trained Executive Stress earlier in its career and for a time the horse was stabled at Rockhampton with Adrian Coome.

Grafton Guineas winner Bettcha The Crown is nearing peak form and has been placed at its last two starts at Doomben and Ipswich. Paul Hamblin has the Cup ride.

Les Tilley will ride Webster’s Tatt’s Cup winner Skyforger and Ryan Wiggins takes the mount on last year’s Cup winner Hype for Tasmanian trainer Aiden Nunn. Hype, who likes to settle back in the field, has drawn gate six. His lead up for has been quite good and Nunn reckons he has the horse on track for back-to-back Cup victories.

With Chris Waller’s Caboche a non-runner in the Cup, champion jockey Nash Rawiller has been left without a Cup ride.

Rawiller, the 2025 Rockhampton Cup Carnival Ambassador has just one ride on Cup Day, Nagamie for trainer Bevan Laming in the Claude Green Memorial (1200m).

• David Aldred CEO