Rockhampton Racing Review: Friday 2nd October 2026.

USA bound Rockhampton filly scores first up at Callaghan Park

Wasabi Barbie, destined to go to America later this season, was an impressive first up winner of the Great Northern 3YO Handicap (1050m) at the return of racing to Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park on Friday.

Ridden by Chris McIver, Wasabi Barbie ($6.50) wore down the leader Stylish Diamond (Chris Whiteley – $5.50) to win by almost a length with a little in hand. Boom Chicka Wow (Steph Tierney – $7) was third. Trainer Jamie McConachy trained the winner. His other acceptor for the race, Power Hit, was scratched at the barrier after being cast in the gates.

McConachy said the Comet-bred Wasabi Barbie, who was on the small side for her two-year-old races, has benefited greatly by a spell in the paddock and has grown into a nice little filly.

“She will improve further from that run too,” he said.

The win was the $4000 Capricornia Yearling Sale graduate Wasabi Barbie’s second from five race starts.

Plans are still in place for the filly to travel to America later this year, where she will likely be kept for breeding.

Last year, Wasabi Barbie was purchased for an undisclosed sum by Rafael Weiss, a Florida-based commercial real estate manager at JW Advance, who breeds and races thoroughbred horses at his USA thoroughbred operation, Rosedown Racing.

After the filly won her maiden race in December 2025, bloodstock agent Brian Wrigley facilitated her sale from Jesse Beak to Weiss.

The Rock Sturdy filly is the first living foal of Whitty Girl who was a Capricornia 2YO Classic runner-up. Good horses from Whitty Girl’s line include Ready to Mombo, who won 16 races in Australia and Macau, and the Group placed New Zealand gallopers Platinum Balos and Inmyshadow. She also has an American link with her fourth dam, Don’t Joke, by Shecky Greene, a winner of four races in the USA. Don’t Joke was also placed second in the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs.

McConachy doubles up with a sentimental bargain buy

It was a winning day for the McConachy stable with a sentimental purchase continuing its perfect Central Queensland record.

Jess Ladbrook purchased 6YO gelding Zedari for just $1000 because it was a half-brother to one of the stable’s good horses Uno Artie who concluded his racing career on 16 September 2023 at Eagle Farm after achieving lifetime earnings of $75,000.

“He’s a cheap horse and I was just hoping I could do something with him,” McConachy said.

“I’ve given him two runs and he has won both.”

In a terrific training achievement, Zedari won first up over 800m at Thangool carrying 61kg last month and today carried 54.5kg over 1200 metres.

There were a few anxious moments for the winner but apprentice Nikki Olzard did well to get him home by a short head. Zedari ($4.20) defeated Limero (Ryan Wiggins – $8.50) with Underrated (Warwick Satherley – $5.50) over two lengths back in third place.

Gerald Ryan trained both the sire and the dam of Zedari. The sire Menari was a Group 2 winner and the dam Possumnater won $17,000 in prize money.

Sunny Coast galloper scores an impressive victory

Sunshine Coast three-year-old Groening produced the win of the day taking out the Melbourne Cup at Callaghan Park QTIS Maiden Handicap (1100m).

The David Vandyke gelding came from the ruck to run down the leaders and score impressively.

Groening is a son of Portland Sky and looked unlucky at its race debut at Corbould Park last month.

Ridden by Ryan Wiggins at Callaghan Park, Groening raced a little green then showed tenacity to win like a really good horse. Pulsating was in front 600m out before the well-backed Varejeo (Steph Tierney) headed it at the 400m. Fancy Geeone was racing a little erratically at its first start but was in the finish as well before Groening launched on the outside to go past them all to score by 3/4 length.

“That run, and the trip up here will do the horse the world of good,” Wiggins told Vandyke. “He will make a good horse.”

Groening started at generous odds of $4, the runner-up Varejeo ($2.50) and Pulsating (Chris McIver – $3.90). Proviseur (Warwick Satherley – $20) caught the eye, coming from last on the turn to run fourth. 

Vale-trained Intrepid Lad wins its second race this season

Intrepid Lad scored its second victory this season, taking out the BM55 Latter Kennedy Handicap (1600m), under jockey Ash Butler.

With front runners hard to run down on a track that’s just undergone its annual renovation, Intrepid Lad ($4.20) scored by a half neck from a gallant Want It All (Ryan Wiggins – $9.50)  with Intrepid Lad’s stablemate Morning Sun (McKenzie Apel – $2.80 eq fav) a length away in third place.

“The front runners will all run well today, the track is still new and firm and that will make them hard to beat,” Butler said. Wiggins agreed telling trainer Daryl Johnston, “the leaders will be hard to get past today, this horses run was really good,” he said.

A former NSW galloper Intrepid Lad has a good record for Vale, winning three times for the stable.

Erimar returns to Rocky to keep his local record perfect

After finishing on the heels of the placegetter at three recent race starts at Doomben and Eagle Farm, Erimar found his former home track much more to his liking, easily taking out the TAB One Pool Class 1 Handicap (1050m).

Now trained by Sharon Lingstone at Deagon, Erimar raced by Erin Taylor and her mum, is unbeaten at his two starts at Callaghan Park.

Taylor said it was good to see the old firm of Taylor and Stanley back together. “Welcome back Judda,” she said as she greeted him in the winner’s enclosure

Ridden by Justin Stanley, Erimar ($2.10) cruised home by 3-1/2 lengths. August Joe (Amy Graham – $8) finished second with Shipping Lane (Mikki Olzard – $4.80) in third place.

A $30,000 purchase, Erimar won last year’s TAB Breeders Plate in Rockhampton for trainer Clinton Taylor.

Sujeed scores its first Rocky win at its ninth local start

Kerrod Smyth saddled former southerner Sujeed for its first Rockhampton victory with the 5YO gelding winning the Lincon Hire and Sales BM55 Handicap (1200m).

The son of Sooboog was having his second run this preparation, and he got home narrowly.

Ridden by Warwick Satherley, Sujeed ($5) defeated Next Stop Jupiter (Sean Cormack – $6) with Lonhy’s Fabre (Raul Silvera Olivera – $6.50) in third place.

Sujeed, who originally raced in Southeast Queensland had previously raced at Callaghan Park eight times for three minor placings.

Smyth reckons there are more wins in the locker. “The track was firm and didn’t really suit him,” he said.

Sujeed can hit the line well and may be even stronger deeper into its preparation.

Smyth and Satherley score a winning double

King’s Duty notched his second local win for Kerrod Smyth and Warwick Satherley.

The Exosphere gelding, an $8.50 chance, wore down the front-runner Remember The Boys (Raul Silvera Olivera – $2.05) with Misting (Ryan Wiggins – $7.50) in third place.

King’s Duty has raced 36 times for six race wins. Originally trained by Mark Minervini,

King’s Duty raced in the Newcastle area before finding its home in Smyth’s Rockhampton stable.

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Caught in the Act Photography