Rockhampton Racing Preview: Tuesday 9th December, 2025

CYS Sale graduates out to impress at Callaghan Park

Two graduates from this year’s 2025 Capricornia Yearling Sales are ready to make their race debut, and another is looking to go one better than it did at start one, in the TAB QTIS 2YO Handicap (1050m) at Callaghan Park on Tuesday.

The name Rocky Prince comes with high expectations of success and owner Sue Hammer, and trainer Tom Smith will be hoping their royally bred gelding can triumph. His stablemate, a bargain sale buy, Wasabi Barbie, doesn’t need to improve a great deal on her initial run to feature, and Liam Birchley, who won this year’s $150,000 2YO Classic, will be out to find a successor to Kerzner in his debutante, Swift Dragon.

Early signs suggest the good-looking black Prince Fawaz gelding, Rocky Prince could honour his name with a second place at his only public appearance in a Callaghan Park barrier trial two weeks ago.

Rocky Prince finished a half-length behind Because I Can in the 1000m trial, which would have put a smile on his connection’s faces.

Hammer paid $22,000 for Rocky Prince at the CYS Sale last April, which seemed a good price for a colt with a wonderful pedigree. The 2yo’s dad is a Group 1 winner and already making strides as a sire, and his mum, three-time winner Gypsy Pearl, a daughter of 1994 Golden Slipper winner Danzero, has already produced three winners.

You don’t need to go too far back in Rocky Prince’s maternal pedigree to find class with a capital “C”. Caulfield Class winner and Victoria Derby placed Sunsets, and Group 1 AJC Derby and Rosehill Guineas winner Innocent King, Group 1 Flight Stakes winner Unearthly, and Group 1 SA Oaks winner Invest, feature in his third dam’s lineage. The fourth dam, Queen Gypsy also has royal blood. She was an unraced sister to the star galloper Our Planet and Gypsy Kingdom and produced Innocent King and the ultra-consistent 15-time winner Royal Snack.

Jackson Murphy will ride Rocky Prince from barrier 10.

Rocky Prince’s galloping partner Wasabi Barbie, cost owner Jesse Beak just $4,000 and has already almost doubled its purchase price after one race.

The Rock Sturdy – Whitty Girl filly was ridden by Tahlia Fenlon when second to Better Blitzem in a Mackay 2YO (1050m) last month. Fenlon has stuck with her and from barrier two, the girls a certain to get a gun run.

Birchley shelled out $60,000 for the Dracarys – Tay Swift gelding, Swift Dragon at this year’s sale and many of the owners of Kerzner, including popular Victorian race caller Ric McIntosh, have signed on for a share of this bloke too.

Swift Dragon is the first foal of Rothesay winner Tay Swift who is in turn a daughter of the very good racehorse Perfect Feeling (6 wins).

The youngster has only been seen once in an 850m barrier trial at the Sunshine Coast’s Corbould Park, where Swift Dragon soundly beat its stablemates Vanzadee and Jungle Rhythm over 850m a few months ago.  Top jockey Ryan Wiggins, ride Callaghan Park beautifully and he will give the Birchley runner every chance of success from barrier nine.

Tuesday’s eight race card starts at 12.57 pm.

• David Aldred (RJC) CEO