Callaghan Park Review: Monday 3rd November
Published 3 November 2025
Oh, my darling, oh my darling, Clementine does it again
Darryl Gardiner continues to build an impressive winning strike rate at Callaghan Park.
The Bundaberg-based trainer produced four-year-old mare Darling Clementine to win the RJC Melbourne Cup Day Class 3 Handicap (1500m) and under a kind ride by Warwick Satherley, she did it easily.
Darling Clementine ($4.80) went to the post with more than two lengths to spare over a tight finish between Phantom Flight ($16.00 – Adam Sewell) and One Thing Counts ($3.70 – Ash Butler).
The winner was the first leg of a winning riding treble for Satherley and a training double for Gardiner.
“She is a nice horse,” Satherley told Gardiner as he dismounted in the winning enclosure. The mare by Churchill has now won four times from nine starts with her last two wins at Callaghan Park. Her Rockhampton record now sits at a 50% winning strike with three wins from six Callaghan Park races.
Gardiner said he has a lean trot for awhile in Rocky but now things are looking up.
“The strike rate is getting back to what it used to be,” he said.
Darling Clementine was a $3,750 buy online last October. She takes her name from the 1940s western movie, starring Henry Fonda as lawman Wyatt Earp.
Native Bee stings its rivals
Jockey Warwick Satherley brought up his winning double on the Damien Rideout-trained 10-year-old gelding Native Bee in the Lincoln Hire and Sales 0-55 Handicap (1600m).
Given a perfect steer, Native Bee ($5.00) charged to the front inside the final 300m and held off a charging Roys Road ($5.00 EF- Brokke Johnson) to win by just under a length. Hot Summer ($8.50 – Jackson Murphyt) was three lengths away in third place.
It was a welcome change of luck for Native Bee and the Rideout’s who train at Thangool. The son of Rothesay was having its 103rd start. The Rocky success was the 12th of his long career and he came into the race with minor placings at Callaghan Park and in Gladstone.
“You deserved that old mate,” Jade Rideout said as she stroked Native Bee’s head.
Native Bee had his first start in Rockhampton more than six years ago, in July 2019 and won his first race at his second start at Yeppoon in the same month.
It was good to see apprentice Johnson back at the races. Johnson was aiming for a successful first day back from injury and finished runner-up.
Satherley and Gardiner double up
Jockey Warwick Satherly steered home his third winner for the day when the Darry Gardiner-trained Tizso Fab nailed front runner Woodstock Rock right on the line in the Belroma Park BM 65 Handicap (1300m).
Woodstock Rock, the $1.85 favourite, for Clinton Taylor and Ryan Wiggins looked home for all money halfway down the straight but he started to take short strides as the winning post loomed. Tizso Fab ($5.00) tracked the favourite into the straight and when the leader weakened, he pounced, and won in the very last hop, by about a head. Outwitted ($32.0- Ash Butler) was a few lengths back in third place.
“This horse just keeps trying,” Satherley told Gardiner who picked up the galloper from down south.
“When I bought this horse the seller said I’d have a lot of fun with him up north and now he is starting to take the next step and is getting better all the time,” Gardiner said.
Tizso Fab (Astern – Tizso Wicked) has now won three times at Callaghan Park and this win took his career record to six wins from 32 starts.
Taylor’s Old Gold gets the Chocolates
Life is like a box of chocolates and punters didn’t know which Clinton Taylor-trained horse to pick.
With leading trainer Taylor serving up a trio of favourites in the Rockhampton Business Machines QTIS 3YO Maiden Plate (1050m), it was the aptly named Old Gold that got the sweets.
Taylor saddled up the $2.40 favourite, debutant Bonewood (Ryan Wiggins), Old Gold ($3.40 – Ash Butler) and Bitter Spirit ($3.70 – Sean Cormack) in the eight horse field.
Old Gold, a gelding by Spirit Of Boom from Bradbury Chocolate show a ton of ability last preparation and was runner up to Power Chic at its second race start.
Butler took the good sort the lead from the outset and he simply out-sped the opposition, running them off their legs. Old Gold had a commanding lead on straightening and didn’t tire in the run to the line. “He is a much strong horse this time in,” Butler said. “He is very quiet, but he goes quick.” Old Gold mum Bradbury Chocolate was a bit of a country icon in her day and had 32 starts for 11 race wins. The Donald Baker-trained Bradbury Chocolate started her career winning by big margins at Cunnamulla, Charleville and Roma then scored twice on the cushion track at Toowoomba before being brought to Brisbane.
Champion trainer Peter Moody told connections after watching her win at Roma that she was up to Melbourne standard. Taylor has a good opinion of Old Gold and its likely now that the gelding has learnt how to win, the wins could keep coming.
The Kobay Train steams along to win its maiden
That was easy trainer Joshua Manzelmann said after three-year-old filly The Kobay Train registered her first win at her 11th race start in the RQ Supports Safety in Racing – Every Job- Every Day QTIS 3YO Maiden (1300m).
With recent minor placings on her home track in Mackay, The Kobay Train started the $1.80 favourite and never gave her rider, apprentice Nikki Olzard a moments worry, coming into the straight with a nice lead and holding a good margin all the way down the running.
Anna Chatabox ($10.00 – Tash Chambers) ran second but was 6-1/4 lengths behind the winner with Picnic Blanket ($10.000 – Sean Cormack) in third place.
A daughter of I Am Invincible stallion Kobayashi and Bullet Train mare, Beauty Train. is starting to mature and her trainer is hopeful more wins are in store.
Gilbert salutes for Pat Dillon
He is as honest as the day is long. Gilbert’s Gold raced back into the winner’s list in the Celebrate Christmas at Callaghan Park BM 55 (1100m).
Trained by Pat Dillon, Gilbert’s Gold was ridden by Sean Cormack and started at $6.50 to run past and draw clear of the short-priced favourite Underrated ($1.24 – Ash Butler) and win by almost half a length. Moment of Truth ($31.00 – Nikki Olzard) finished third.
“He keeps trying that’s what I like about him,” Dillon said. Seven-year-old Gilbert’s Gold has now won three races and finished in the money ten other times from 26 starts.
“He was never going to lose today,” Cormack said.
9 Race Melbourne Cup program at Callaghan Park
Tuesdaý’s local Rockhampton race card on Melbourne Cup Day starts at 11.15. The RJC picked up five extra races after the Yeppoon race meeting on Saturday was abandoned and with those races added to the four races already on the program there will be 9 non-TAB races run.
Callaghan Park’s race day includes the $15,000 G J Gardiner Yeppoon Cup/ Country Cups Challenge (1400m) which will be raced at 1.00pm.
- David Aldred (CEO) RJC
