Racing Review: Callaghan Park Thursday 28th August.

Callaghan Park trainer Jess Kuhn saddles her first winning double

Berserker’s Jessica Kuhn was in fine form at Callaghan Park on Thursday saddling her first winning double since she started training racehorses in 2022.

Before Thursday, Kuhn had just seven wins beside her name, training her first winner, Shadow Project in 2024.

Lifting her strike rate considerably, Kuhn trained the winners of the third and fifth races on the six-race card.

Prepotent ridden by Chris McIver won the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1500m) getting to the post first following a frustrating run of minor placings. “The horse just loves Chris,” Kuhn said. “Chris knows him well and the horse knows Chris just as well, he even gets cranky when Chris doesn’t ride him at work.”

Prepotent ($6.50) defeated Capo Strada (McKenzie Apel -$9.00) in a head-bobbing finish. Capo Strada led with Prepotent nailing him right at the post. General Hippo (Nikki Olzard – $2.80) wasn’t far away in third, with the big horse doing its best work late.

Kuhn second winner was Peaking Tom in the Maiden Plate (1400m).  The five-year-old having its 14^th start was ridden by Raul Silvera Olivera, who waited patiently for the last crack at the leader.

“I have known this horse since he was a baby,” Silvera Olivera said as he unsaddled the winner.

Kuhn said Silvera Olivera was the right jockey for the horse after she celebrated her double success.

“This is my first ever double, it’s a good day,” Kuhn said.

Apprentice Niki Olzard gets 100 wins

In the final race at Callaghan Park on Thursday apprentice Nikki Olzard reached an important milestone of 100 winning rides.

Stuck on 99 wins before today Olzard headed to Dingo last Saturday with another Rocky apprentice Brooke Johnson with the duo both eyeballing centuries.

Johnston brought up her 100 but Olzard, apprenticed to Sileas Green, went home still one winner shy.

“I actually thought Nikki had a better chance of reaching 100 before me, I thought she was going to beat me there,” Johnson said.

At Callaghan Park, Olzard rode a couple of minor placing before reaching her 100 wins on the Alan Jones trained All Business in the 0-55 Handicap (1600m).

With a perfectly timed ride she got the judge’s result, by a long head and was all smiles after the race.

Starting at $5.00 All Business, who had been placed at its two previous starts, lobbed in time to defeat Kirella Shores (Tash Chambers – $26.00) with Caracristi (Tom Orr – $5.00) one length away in third place.

There’s nothing Ugly or Scruffy about Kropp’s winning duo

Toowoomba trainer William Kropp saddled up an interestingly named winning double in the opening two races at Callaghan Park on Thursday.

Kropp’s winners were Yes I’m Ugly and Scruffy. There’s been some descriptive and unusual names for horses over the years, but this one tops the list of being just plain harsh.

Yes I’m Ugly was certainly short-changed when names were handed out, but in a boost to his self-esteem he has demonstrated glimpses of ability in the galloping talent department.

The young trainer said his galloper’s name was probably “a bit unfair.”

“He isn’t an ugly horse at all, just a tough looking horse really,” he said. “His owner had the name ‘I’m No Oil Painting’ picked out as his first choice and when he didn’t get that he went with Yes I’m Ugly.”

Mark Moore purchased the son of Jukebox – and Exceedingly Good mare, Speedy, at an online auction 12 months ago for $4,250.

Yes I’m Ugly, heavily backed to win the TAB Benchmark 55 Handicap (1100m), won the race accordingly.

Ridden by the stable’s apprentice jockey Kelsey Lenton, Yes I’m Ugly who started the $2.00 favourite, won by 1-1/2 lengths from $12.00 outsider Amberinger (Amy Graham) with Gilbert’s Gold (McKenzie Apel -$2.70) close up in third place.

Scruffy was ridden patiently by Lenton to bring up her winning double. The win in the Clinton Taylor premier Trainer Class 1 Handicap (1200m) was four-year-old mare Scruffy’s second from 11 starts.

Scruffy, who also belies its name on looks, is proving to be a Callaghan Park specialist with both of her wins in Rockhampton at its only starts here. Three-kilo claimer Lenton gave Scruffy a good run in transit. “I lobbed in the right spot,” Lenton said. “It’s a long straight so I was patient and peeled out when I could.”

Scruffy ($8.50) beat Hi Frank (Nikki Olzard – $4.80) by 1-1/2 lengths with short-priced favourite Ten Carat Lucy (Justin Huxtable – $1.40) close in third place.

Acton and Taylor combine for their first win as a duo at Callaghan Park

Larry Acton bought into Callaghan Park debutante Borus’ Legacy when he was lying in a hospital bed in Brisbane, earlier this year and on Thursday he celebrated his first win with Clinton Taylor in the QTIS 3YO Maiden Handicap.

Raced by Larry and his daughter Julie Acton with Erin Taylor, Borus’ Legacy was an online purchase by Taylor.

“I rang Clinton when he was at Magic Millions and he said he was interested in buying this one at an online sale, so I went in for 50%,” Acton said.

Borus’ Legacy provided former SEQ apprentice Tom Orr with his first Callaghan Park win and his first win for his new boss, Taylor.

Orr, is the grandson of the immediate past Brisbane Race Club chairman, Neville Bell.

• David Aldred CEO