Racing Review: Callaghan Park Friday 3rd October

Callaghan Park double for locals Green and Olzard

Talented three-year-old Our Eagle Rock provided trainer Sileas Green and apprentice jockey Nikki Olzard with a winning double at Callaghan Park on Friday.

The day promoted Sunday’s NRL Grand Final on the Nine network and Olzard wore the Nine Wide World of Sports racing silks on the winner.

Green was an excited trainer when Our Eagle Rock came from last down the outside of the field in the straight to win the Go Cam Munster and Tamika Upton QTIS 3YO Handicap (1050m). The $2.50 favourite had almost a half length margin over runner up Tara I Am ($13.00 – Raul Silvera Olivera) with two-and-a-half lengths to Desarae Doll ($4.60 – Sean Cormack).

“He has been a good money spinner for us,” part-owner Elaine Sturgiss said after the race.

Our Eagle Rock (Your Song – Talon Lady) has now won four races from 11 starts.

Race delay didn’t stop Olzard’s Fling

A delay to the start of the opening race didn’t stop Sheeza Fling powering home in the Live And Free Maiden Handicap (1050m).

The Sileas Green trained mare scored its first won from 8 starts and did it quite stylishly under apprentice jockey Nikki Olzard.

“She is tough,” Olzard told Green after the win. “I took a look over my shoulder at the 100m and thought where are they?” Sheeza Fling ($5.00) defeated the Jessica Khun-trained stablemates Grumpywantsatissue ($5.00 – Raul Silvera Olivera) and Mahtikkainstinct ($21.00) Tahlia Fenlon with just over two lengths and three lengths separated the placed horses. Green said she thought the Mackay unplaced run last month “was a writ off” for Sheeza Fling. “Her previous runs were good, you just had to ignore that run,” she said.

Sheeza Fling is a locally bred mare by Brabinger from Wicked Lover.

Heavily supported favourite Run Freda Run trained by Kris Hansen came out of the starting barriers backwards before the start and went through a running rail before being caught about 800m down the track. The favourite was a late scratching and the start of the race was put back several minutes.

Gelding carries a big impost to win the BM 70 Handicap

Capo Strada sat three wide carrying 62kg and still got the job done in the Champagne Rugby League BM70 Handicap (1400m).

Trainer Ricky Vale said it was a tough win by the 7YO who had class on his rivals. “Had he had 58kg in that field he would have been a certainty,” Vale said. “But he had 62kg and a tough run, it was a good performance.”

Apprentice jockey Jai Williams patted himself on the back for the win. Ït ended up before a good ride, I’m glad he didn’t get beaten,” Williams said.

Capo Strada ($5.50) gave away 8kg in weight to the runner-up, the Clinton Taylor trained$1.85 favourite. Pride Of Venus and beat him a head. Boom Boom Bella ($10.00-Jason Taylor) finished third. Capo Strada was the second winner to carry the Nine Wide World of Sports racing silks. A son of Street Boss Capo Strada has now won six races.

Doubting Eye returns to the winner’s list to the cheers of Broncos fans

Broncos fans Jason Morgan, Mark Unwin, Wally Welburn and Kylie Welburn gathered around Doubting Eye to celebrate its victory in Bronco’s Vs Storm Grand Final Open Handicap (1050m).

“That’s the omen,” trainer Morgan said. “The win starts here, bring on Sunday’s Grand Final.”

Wearing the Bronco’s colours the group were delighted with Doubting Eye’s return to form. The one-time RJC Horse of the Year had been experiencing a run of outs with its previous win 12 months ago.

Ridden by Raul Silvera Olivera Doubting Eye ($3.80) ran on boldly over the concluding stages to track down the leader Master Montaro ($7.00 – Jai Williams) and score by ¾ of a length with Fortress Australia ($3.70 – Sean Cormack) doing its best work at the finish to run third. Silvera Olivera was quick to let Morgan know that he timed his run well and wasn’t concerned about giving away a start to the leaders. “This is Rocky, hey,” Silvera said referring to the long straight at Callaghan Park. “You’re learning,” Morgan replied. The victory was the 5YO Not A Single Doubt gelding’s seventh from 30 starts.

Biker motors home for an overdue victory

Biker stumbled out of the starting gates before coming from near last place on the home turn to win The Silky Sam Thaiday BM55 Handicap (1600m).

The Stephen Rundle trained 5YO made a mess of the jump, but jockey Jackson Murphy wasn’t fazed and let the galloper find its feet before working its way forward.

Ï knew when they sprinted away up front, how well he would come home, it worked out great,” Murphy said. The Pride Of Dubai gelding won its second race at its 18^th start for the Rundle family. Biker has been a difficult horse to place in CQ as he likes to get over a long journey and there aren’t many races to suit him on the CQ and NQ schedules. Rundle has had to take the galloper to SEQ to find suitable races. The mile at Callaghan Park was right up his alley. Murphy brough Biker ($9.00) with his run through the field in the home straight and he finished best to win by more than half a length from Jay Bee Ell ($11.00- Adam Sewell) with Flyball, the $2.00 favourite ridden by Ron Stewart tiring from the lead to finish third.

Jim Rundle purchased Biker for $8,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions 2YO’s in Training sale. The galloper has now won a little over $40,000.

Bundaberg galloper rolls favourite

Trainer Darryl Gardiner made the trek from the Fraser Coast with Tizo Fab for the gelding’s 30^th race start and collected the cash in the Turn It Up 0-60 Handicap (1400m).

Tizo Fab seems to prefer the turf to its home track sand and ran down the short-priced previously unbeaten favourite, Presszora to score convincingly.

Ridden by Tahlia Fenlon Tizo Fab ($5.00) scored by over a length from Presszora ($1.90 Ron Stewart) with $81 rank outsider Citiroc (Sean Cormack) in third place about five lengths from the winner. The victory was Tizo Fab’s fifth success. The Brisbane-based apprentice said the 6YO wanted to win. “He wanted it and once he switched on, he was right,” she said. Gardiner said Tizo Fab’s condition is improving all the time. “He is nice and solid now,” he said.

Fenlon collects a double on comeback galloper Borelli

Tahlia Fenlon completed a winning double when the Glenda Bell trained Borrelli scored its first CQ win in the Broncos Vs Roosters NRLW Grand Final Class 1 Handicap (1050m).

Borrelli ($4.60) scored easily over Discovered Gold ($3.80F – Raul Silvera Olivera) with Red Beauty ($5.60 – Jackson Murphy) close in third place.

“He can gallop, this horse,” Fenlon told Bell as she unsaddled the winner.

Borrelli, a son of Russian Revolution, had one previous win in its 10-start career so far and that was at the Sunshine Coast two years ago. Borelli had its first start since April and its third start in CQ where it had previously finished unplaced at Springsure and Thangool. Five-year-old Borelli, now trained at Emerald, showed promise as a young horse in SEQ.

$61.00 longshot zips home to win in a photo finish

Trainer Jim Lewis is taking time out after surgery but was at Callaghan Park to celebrate the win of his longshot Phantom Flight in the TAB Benchmark 55 Handicap (1200m) at Callaghan Park.

Leonie Horstman has taken over the training of the 5YO gelding while Lewis is recovering from his operations and produced Phantom Flight is great order for the race.

Starting at odds of $61.00 Phantom Flight sprung a surprise win.

“I will be popular, I have to go to a footy BBQ on the weekend, and I told the others attending that he couldn’t win,” Lewis said. The Trapeze Artist 5YO scored its second win this year, with its previous at Callahan Park in February. His record now stands at three wins from 18 starts. Ridden by Adam Sewell, Phantom Flight came with a late charge with the $2.80 favourite Darling Clementine (Tahlia Fenlon) right alongside him. ‘

Gilberts Gold ($6.50 – Sean Cormack) was game in defeat. The Pat Dillon trained galloper fought off Holy Crown and looked set to score before the late finishers arrive right on the line. Just one length separated the first six horses across the line with the winning margins a short head by a long head in the closet finish of the day.

David Aldred – CEO