Rockhampton Racing Preview: Saturday 11th April, 2026.

“Iron Man” Justin Stanley returns to ride in Saturday’s  Capricornia Classics

Highly accomplished jockeys are often viewed as heroes. They excel in their profession due to a strength that belies their small frames, exceptional horse and riding skills, and most of all, their perseverance.

But many of us do not consider the immense adversity and challenges that jockeys can face on their journey to success.

It can be a topsy-turvy ride to the summit and there are a lot of inspiring stories of jockeys who have overcome adversity to reach the top level during their careers.

Justin Stanley is one of them.

The 45-year-old Journeyman jockey, who has won Rockhampton, Queensland and National riding titles, has had more than his share of misfortune on the track.

Stanley returns to Callaghan Park on Saturday, nine months after a pre-race mishap at Ipswich racecourse.

In that race day incident, Stanley severely injured a shoulder, which unexpectedly required surgery, and then a prolonged rest so the shoulder could fully recover for a return to his workplace, the only office he knows, the racetrack.

Stanley’s damaged shoulder, a limb he had hurt a few times before, added to the long list of other injured body parts the jockey has sustained over the past quarter of a century.

Five years ago, he sat on the sidelines after having a total knee construction. But his worst accident was at the end of 2003. Stanley had a horrific race fall at the Gold Coast. He broke a leg, broke his collarbone, shattered his jaw in two places, fractured his skull, had bleeding to the brain, and bruised lungs.

“It took nine or 10 years before I felt like I was back to the same place I was before that fall,” Stanley said.

About two months ago, Stanley got back to work riding early morning training sessions at Deagon and set himself a four-to-six-week target to return to race riding. As professional athletes do, he achieved that goal, commencing slowly, taking just one ride at each of four southern race meetings over the past two weeks.

Back in the territory where he has soared, Stanley gives his shoulder its first big test with four mounts at the Rockhampton Jockey Club’s Capricornia Classic Race Day.

His comeback reunites the “old firm’’, with Stanley pairing up with premier Rockhampton trainer Clinton Taylor for three rides including one in the main race of the day and two in other feature races.

“I have eased back into it over the last couple of weeks, just having the one ride at four different meets down here,” Stanley said. “I am very much looking forward to getting back to Rocky and hopefully I can get the monkey off my back and ride a winner or two.”

Stanley will partner Coal Seam for Taylor Racing in the $168,000 TAB Capricornia 2YO Classic (1200m) and Kohler Kid for Mick Lakey in the $112,000 Great Northern Capricornia 3&4YO Classic (1300m). He will also ride Kathy’s Beau in the $30,000 Rockhampton Regional Council Mayors Cup (1200m) and Say It Loud ($23,000 Brisbane Airport Hotels Group Maiden – 1200m) both for Taylor.

My rides have all got good chances, they are in form too, so hoping I can find a winner,” Stanley said. “I feel 100% again and I’m confident that I have managed my return well.”

Stanley’s two main rides are both in with winning chances. The Taylor-trained Coal Seam has had just two race starts for a win on debut in Mackay and a last start second place behind stablemate Missile Baby at Callaghan Park last month. The Lakey-trained Deagon 3YO Kohler Kid, owned locally by Elly, Jesse and Val Beak has been in the money three times from five starts. Kohler Kid won its Maiden Handicap at Eagle Farm in January.

Callaghan Park’s eight-race program on Saturday starts at 12.44pm. The days racing opens with an annual feature, the $23,000 Len Milner Memorial QTIS 3YO Maiden Plate (1050m).

• David Aldred (CEO)