Rockhampton Racing Preview: Friday 2nd October, 2026.

Racing returns to Callaghan Park this Friday, following a six-week hiatus due to track renovations and irrigation works.

Seven races will be run and won, with the opener kicking off at 1:08pm.

With 69 acceptors, strong fields have been assembled right across the card, with a good mix of local runners and southern visitors.

Of the southerners, 2026 TAB Rockhampton Cup-winning trainer David Vandyke is set to bring three runners to Callaghan Park; Groening, Capital Chord and Misting, with the trio to all be partnered by Ryan Wiggins.

Groening, a son of Portland Sky, will look to break his maiden in Race 4, following a luckless sixth at the Sunshine Coast three weeks ago.

In Race 6, Capital Chord will look for a change of fortune in what will be her seventh career start. The mare by Capitalist was a winner on debut, but five plain runs in town have followed, so a sharp drop in grade could be key for her.

The third of Vandyke’s team lines up in Race 7, the Belroma Park Benchmark 65 Handicap. Misting, a two-time winner from nine starts, showed good promise early in her career, winning at Eagle Farm by two lengths at start three, and then running in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks at the end of her 3YO season.

Following a 15-month break from racing, the now-5YO has had one run, finishing eighth behind in-form galloper Lockyer at Doomben in a Class 3 Plate.

Possibly the biggest danger to Vandyke’s runners are a trio of locals from the Jason Morgan stable.

Morgan will saddle up three runners on Friday’s program, two of which line up in Race 4.

Fancy Geeone showed good toe in her one and only trial at Callaghan Park in August, winning her heat stylishly. The 3YO filly will jump from barrier 11 under Raul Silvera Olivera who sticks with her after riding her in the trial.

Fancy Geeone’s stablemate, Patienceofasaint, is having her third career start and her first for Morgan. She too won a trial at Rockhampton on August 26, scoring by 2.56L, albeit in slower time than her stablemate. Nikki Olzard, who has rode the filly in both starts to date, will retain the ride from barrier 10.

In the last race of the afternoon, Morgan and Olivera will combine with progressive 5YO gelding, Remember The Boys, who was a winner at Rockhampton last start.

The son of Omaha Beach had a long break between starts one and two, but he’s hit the ground running this preparation, winning two of five, while also finishing second on one other occasion.

Race 1 will face the starter at 1:08pm, with the last race scheduled for 4:50pm.

RJC Racing Liaison Officer, Nick Lloyd.