Pride of Venus crowned 2025/26 Rockhampton Horse of the Year
Published 4 August 2026
Pride Of Venus has been crowned the Rockhampton Horse of the Year for the 2025/26 racing season, after scoring four wins, a second and a third at Callaghan Park over the last 12 months.
Owned by Wilrace Women, J L Wilson, A R Dougall, M J Cooper, T L Whalley & H L Whalley, the Clinton Taylor-trained mare broke through for her maiden victory at start eight, following seven unplaced runs in the South-East.
In what was her first start for her new stable, Pride Of Venus won at Rockhampton over 1100m by 1.75L under Ryan Wiggins on August 21. She then went north to win at Mackay and Townsville in her two subsequent starts, making it three wins on the trot.
The 4YO mare then returned to Callaghan Park in October, narrowly going down as an odds-on favourite, before scoring by five lengths at Rockhampton on Caulfield Cup Day over 1400m in Benchmark 60 company to claim her second win of the season at her home track.
She had one more run in her first preparation for her new trainer, finishing ninth at Eagle Farm.
Pride Of Venus then kicked off her following preparation in February at Townsville, bolting in to win a Benchmark 70 over 1200m, which was followed by another trip south to the state’s capital, albeit to no avail.
The daughter of Pride Of Dubai returned home to Rockhampton for her next two starts, winning both, to take her Callaghan Park record to four wins and a second from five starts.
She won an Open Handicap on March 24 by the barest of margins over King Spirit, before claiming the Rockhampton Regional Council 2026 Mayors Cup by 0.02L.
Her brilliant Callaghan Park form continued at her next outing, as she finished a very admirable third in the $75,000 Fitzroy, just 0.9L behind subsequent One Syndications Rockhampton Newmarket winner, Demon Award.
Pride Of Venus’ final start for the 25/26 racing season came in the Rocky Newmarket, where she finished 11th of 14 in the $100,000 feature. That run would prove to be her final race start, with connections retiring the mare and sending her to the breeding barn.
We look forward to keeping a close eye on her progeny down the track.
RJC Racing Liaison Officer, Nick Lloyd.
