Racing Review Callaghan Park: Saturday 18th October

 Apprentice jockey lands an early Caulfield Cup Day double

Apprentice jockey Leah Martyn plucked an early double winning two of the first three races at Callaghan Park on Saturday.

Martyn, apprenticed to Garnet Taylor, brought up the double with an easy victory aboard Stuart Kenrick’s Hollywood North in the Frenchville Sports Club Open Handicap (1300m). It was the eighth victory for the 7YO gelding trained on the Sunshine Coast.

Her first winner was aboard the Toowoomba galloper Pantelone in race one.

Hollywood North $3.10) beat the short priced $1.50 favourite The Deputy (Rob Thornton) by almost two lengths with For Valour ($8.00 – Chris McIver) almost five lengths away in third place.

With close to $300,000 in stakes, Hollywood North has been a good money-spinner, but it’s been a while between drinks with its previous win back in April at the Gold Coast.

Hollywood North was a $13,000 buy at an online Inglis sale in March this year. He made his way to Queensland after been somewhat successful in Sydney where his wins included one at the Randwick Kensington track.

Toowoomba stablemates quinella the Class 6 Handicap

Glenn Richardson’s Pantelone started as the $2.50 favourite in the Great Northern Class 6 (1200m) and charged home under a good ride by apprentice, Leah Martyn to win it.

The Street Boss gelding from the Downs region recorded its fifth race win beating its stablemate Palatial Prince ($17.00- Tasha Chambers) with almost two lengths to Capo Strada ($4.40 – Ash Butler). The assignment looked an easy one for Pantelone, who was a Moonee Valley winner this time last year.

Formerly raced by Godolphin, Pantelone was purchased by Richardson online for $70,000 last December.

The Boss Man rules in Carly Mae Pye Memorial

The Toowoomba success rolled on with The Boss Man scoring a dominant win in the Carly Mae Pye Memorial Maiden Handicap (1200m).

Trained by Dale Groves, The Boss Man won at his fifth start and the win was an emotional one with two trainers eyes welling and their voices choking up at the presentation.

Carly-Mae Pye’s partner Tim Cook presented the trophy to Groves in a touching exchange.

Pye was killed in a track accident at Callaghan Park in 2014 and the RJC runs the Memorial race in her memory every year.

“It’s a difficult time of the year for me and a lot of people,” Cook said. “I am just so thankful that the club run this race in Carly-Mae’s memory every year.”

The Boss Man ($8.50 – Rob Thorburn) darted away to win the trophy by a half length from East West Miss ($3.30 Jackson Murphy) with Cash Pit ($51- Leah Martyn) two lengths away in third place.  The Boss Man, by former stakes winner Puissance De Lune, a Group 1 placed, winner of a Bendigo Cup, first sold in Tasmania as a Yearling in 2023, for $37,000. His five starts have returned one win and one minor place. Saturday’s victory was The Boss Man’s first start for Groves with all previous races in Victoria.

Smith and McIver combine for a Beauty of a win

Tom Smith’s Red Beauty scored a surprise win at odds of $14.00 in The Quest Apartments Rockhampton BM60 Handicap (1050m).

The race favourites didn’t get a look in with all three placegetters starting at juicy odds.

Red Beauty, ridden a great race by jockey Chris McIver defeated Gilberts Gold ($10.00 – Sean Cormack) by over two lengths with Quartershare ($61.00 – Jackson Murphy) in third place two and a half lengths from the winner. The best backed runners Kathy’s Rose ($3.80) and Saraqael ($2.00) finish fifth and sixth respectively.

Smith and the large ownership group celebrated the mare’s first local win with a group photo in the saddling enclosure, and I reckon the celebrations would have continued well into the night.

The group also were very complimentary of McIver’s 10/10 ride.

It was the second win for the four-year-old mare raced by Belroma Park, Findabookie Syndicate and BNL Racing. The former Victorian’s first win was in Mackay last April which was followed by two unplaced runs and a first up third placing. But the daughter of Extreme Choice showed early form with two country racetrack placings in Victoria before heading north.  Red Beauty, originally raced by Lindsay Park was a $13,000 purchase by Tom Smith Racing at an Inglis Online Sale in November 2024. The chestnut’s dam Red Fuschia, by Red Ransom, was a winner for Gai Waterhouse.

Race sponsor Quest Apartments Rockhampton were also the major supporter of the Caulfield Cup Day Fashion at Callaghan Park.

Taylor doubles up with Pride Of Venus and Atlantic Rain

Clinton Taylor’s continues to fire and the Berserker trainer scored another double at Callaghan Park.

With Justin Stanley expected to be sidelined for another couple of months, jockey Ryan Wiggins is making the most of his chances on Taylor’s horses. Wiggins steered Pride of Venus to an impressive five-length victory in the TAB Benchmark 60 Handicap (1400m) and the Pride of Dubai mare never gave the punters that took the short odds any cause for concern.

The $1.45 favourite looked super impressive careering away from Melo Melo Kava ($12.00- Ash Butler) with a big margin back to third placed Von Bee ($9.50 – Rob Thornton).

Pride of Venus was a $12,000 purchase at the MM Gold Coast National Sale in 2023. So far she has won four of her 12 starts and almost $60,000.

Sean Cormack was on board Taylor’s second winner, Atlantic Rain who fought gallantly for its win in the QTIS 3YO & 4YO Handicap (1200m). Challenged all the way down the straight, Atlantic Rain ($3.20)  won by under a half a length from Southaven ($41.00 -Chris McIver) with the $2.90 favourite, Bold Artic (Leah Martyn) close up in third place. A nice filly by Tassort, Atlantic Rain is raced by Rodney Hay and is a $20,000 graduate of the 2024 MM March Sale.

Longshot returns Barnham to winners list

It has been a while since Mark Barnham has been in the Callaghan Park winners circle, but he returned with a statement when longshot Citiroc won the St Peters Birdcage Open Handicap (1600m).

Barnham, a former jockey, came back to the Rocky training ranks recently after a few years out of the spotlight and combined with apprentice Tom Orr for the victory with the $81.00 shot.

Biker ($5.50) had a huge run after standing flatfooted and missing the start. Raul Silvera Olivera spotted the field eight lengths head start and got beaten by under half a length finishing second. Peaking Tom ($8/00-Chris McIver) was third.

“He stood there,” Silvera Olivera told trainer Steve Rundle after the race.

Citiroc paid triple figures on some totes. The gelding by Sidestep had one previous win at Ballarat in March 2024 and originally started its career in South Australia.

Barnham hopes the 6yo can now build on its record in CQ.

• David Aldred (CEO)