Rockhampton Racing Preview: Tuesday 25th August, 2026.

The final race meeting before track renovations get underway at Callaghan Park will be run and won on Tuesday afternoon, with seven races set out for decision.

The seven-race program will be the club’s last for five weeks, before racing returns again on Friday, October 2, with the countdown then well and truly on for Caulfield Cup Day on October 17.

Local trainer John Wigginton will be hoping to go out on a high, as he saddles up three key chances on Tuesday in a bid to buck a frustrating run of placings.

Since Wigginton’s last winner on TAB Rockhampton Cup Day, the stable has had nine starters, with seven of those finishing second and another finishing third.

To add more pain to the blow, six of those seven runners-up have been beaten by less than a length, so to say a winner or two – or even three – is deserving would be an understatement.

Wigginton’s first of three runners comes up in Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1100m, where he’ll saddle up British Navy. To be partnered by Tom Orr (a3), the eight-start maidener had the flashing light on him last start over 1050m here at Rockhampton, charging into second behind Next Stop Jupiter.

Moochi Starlight, second in his last three starts, will look to go one better in the Great Northern Class 5 Plate (Race 3), as the 5YO son of All Too Hard comes of defeats by 0.1L, 0.4L and 0.2L from his past three outings across Mackay and Rockhampton.

Prior to those three seconds, Moochi Starlight was a good winner over 1050m at Callaghan Park under last season’s premier rider, Warwick Satherley, who will once again take the reins on Tuesday.

The third and final runner for Wigginton comes up in Race 5, a Benchmark 55 Handicap over the 1100m, with Belvedere Miss to be partnered by Satherley.

The 4YO mare broke her maiden at Mackay in early July, and placed second two starts ago at Rockhampton over 1100m in this grade, before making steady late ground in an on-speed-dominated race last start.

Race 1, a 3YO Open Handicap (1050m), will start proceedings at 1:27pm, with the final event on the program set to face the starter at 5:10pm.

RJC Racing Liaison Officer, Nick Lloyd