Rockhampton Racing Review: Friday, 5 June, 2026
Published 5 June 2026
Pepperdine primed for this month’s Tatt’s Gold Cup
Back in winning form, six-year-old gelding Pepperdine is on target for the Tattersall’s Gold Cup at Callaghan Park on 19 June.
The Alisha Taylor-trained galloper came with a strong finish to win Wade Hunt IT Open Handicap (1400m). Ridden by Leah Martyn, Pepperdine ($5) scored by a half length from Don Pedro (Chloe Lowe -$3.40) with half a length to the fast finisher Astra Star (Chris Whiteley -$7.50). Ricky Vale trained stablemates Parade Ground and Pipistrelle, the $3.40 favourite, finished fourth and fifth respectively. Pepperdine is a Callaghan Park specialist with seven wins from ten starts on the track. “Had it been 1600m today I would have declared him a certainty so the Tatts Cup in a couple of weeks will be just right for him,” Taylor said. Pepperdine, a son of Pierro and Our Miss Jones, was bred by Makybe Racing and Breeding and is raced by a trio that includes Taylor’s husband Jared Wehlow who purchased the gelding in 2023 at online sale for $17,000. His prize money is now over $160,000.
Wakefield makes a successful hit and run raid
Eagle Farm trainer Brian Wakefield made a successful hit and run raid to win the Great Northern Maiden Handicap (1600m) with dour three-year-old Argyle Gold.
Ridden quietly by Georgie Cartwright, Argyle Gold came from near last on the home turn to sweep past runner after runner and get the prize. But just when it looked like the gelding was going to win easily, he had to settle in for a fight, and the result was decided by the judge in a photo finish. Argyle Gold ($3.30 fav) got the result by a nose over Check One Two (Leah Martyn – $6.50) with Cash Pit (Tom Orr – $7.50) in third place. Wakefield arrived from Brisbane on Thursday and stabled overnight at Callaghan Park.
He walked the track on Thursday and commented on its good condition. “It’s got some moisture in it, and feels nice with a good cover of grass,” the trainer said. Argyle Gold took to the track nicely appreciating the long 600 metre straight. “He is a staying type, quite lazy and is going to get better over a bit of distance,” Wakefield said.
Argyle Gold’s part-owner Melvin Howe drove to Rockhampton from Boyne Island south of Gladstone to see his horse win.
The gelding by Rothesay is from Wakefield’s mare Epic Piper.
Pedro Petersen celebrates another birthday with a winner
Retired Bundaberg Cane and Sweet Potato farmer Pedro Petersen is making it a habit of winning on his birthday.
Talented 4YO gelding Presocratics made it back-to-back wins at Callaghan Park, giving his owner a great present on his 81st birthday. A year ago, another of his horses Nicconori also won on his birthday.
“Pedro is enjoying life, after beating prostate cancer and loves nothing more than getting a winner, and to win on his birthday again is extra special,” Bundaberg trainer Gary Clem said.
Clem said Presocratics has lots of tricks but seems to find a way to win. “He has plenty of tricks, but he also has the ability to put lengths on his opposition,” Clem said. Presocratics has now won five times from 15 starts and four of his wins have been at Callaghan Park, putting him into contention for the 2025/26 Horse of the Year Award. He now joins three others during the season as four-time winners.
Ridden by Jason Taylor, Presocratics started the $3.00 favourite and defeated Universal Harmony (Chris McIver -$10) by almost two lengths. Kai Mondo (Fiona Sandkuhl – $3.60) finished third. Taylor had a few worrying moments on Presocratics when he was disappointed for a run in the straight. “He’s tricky but he’s a good horse,” Taylor said.
Namazu’s little half-brother gets its second win
Cryoseisms, a half-brother to 2024 The Archer winner Namazu won its second race in five weeks taking out the Burke In Style Menswear 0-55 Handicap (1050m).
Raced in similar ownership to Namazu and trained by Ricky Vale who also trained the top sprinter, Cryoseisms looks like a horse on the way up. By the grey stallion Frosted, Cryoseisms is also a grey. Lightly raced, he has won two of seven races with his previous victory in Mackay last month.
Starting at $4.40, Cryoseisms was ridden by Warwick Satherley who is edging closer to the top of the Rockhampton Jockey Club premiership table. Cryoseisms won by almost one-and-a-half lengths from Better Breakout (Ryan Wiggins -$15) with longshot Spitzberg (Adam Sewell – $51) in third place. Billy Boom, the $2.90 favourite, hit the lead in the straight but disappointed to run sixth.
Two-year-old gets airborne on debut
Gold Coast debutante Airborne Affair was backed off the map to win the TAB QTIS 2YO Handicap (1050m) and under a patient ride by Ash Butler got a winning result.
The odds-on favourite was given a gun run by Butler but looked in bother with 150m to run.
Locals Diante and Astilla threw down the gauntlet and momentarily appeared ready to fight out the finish. But Airborne Affair had something in reserve and Butler got the best out of the chestnut Trapeze Artist colt to score. The Ben-Hull trained youngster was backed for a stack with bookmakers and the TAB and started the $1.90 favourite. He scored by a half length from the Ricky Vale-trained Diante (Raul Silvera Olivera – $6.50) with the Clinton Taylor-trained Charming Seahorse (Ryan Wiggins – $5.50) a couple of lengths away in third place. Astilla finished fourth. Connections of the winner back it with confidence after it won a Beaudesert official trial last month. Hull purchased Airborne Affair for $12,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Book 2 Sale in 2025. The colt’s dam is the So You Think mare She’s My Girl, who won two of her seven race starts.
Olzard goes to lead in apprentice jockey race
Mother and daughter trainer, Maree Skillington and apprentice jockey Nikki Olzard teamed up for a welcome victory in the Diageo Class 1 Handicap (1400m) with five-year-old gelding Out Of Aces.
A son of Dundeel, having its 14th start, Out Of AcesAces scored its second win and first at Callaghan Park. Out Of AcesAces ($7.60) fought off a determined finish from Luxor Prince (Tahlia Fenlon -$17) to win by a long head. Cryptology (Ryan Wiggins -$2.60) was a length away in third place.
The victory was significant for a number of reasons for Olzard, including it pushing her to a one-victory lead over Steph Tierney in the local apprentice’s premiership.
Out Of Aces was a $180,000 Magic Millions National Sale graduate in 2022, started its career in Sydney, then Sunshine Coast where he won his first race The Gibson Maiden at Doomben, before eventually finding its way to Skillington’s Gracemere stable. Out Of Aces has now had three starts for Skillington.
Sunshine Coast filly scores popular win
Jockey Leah Martyn and Sunshine Coast trainer Garnett Taylor combined to win the Renew or Join the RJC 3YO QTIS Handicap (1200m) with promising filly Scialla.
The 3YO was searching for a run in the straight and Martyn kept at her to eventually get through on the inside and score. The $1.75 short-priced favourite scraped home by a short head to defeat Halfachance (Ash Butler – $5.50) with Next Legacy (Warwick Satherley -$8.50) in third place. Scialla by Speith from La Dolce Vita has only raced four times for two wins, both at Callaghan Park.
Martyn is also in contention for the local apprentice jockey title. She now has nine wins at Callaghan Park this season.
Healey galloper back in the winners’ list
Apprentice jockey McKenzie Apel scored a narrow and hard fought win on Itza Motza in the TAB Cup Carnival Trainers Bonus BM58 Handicap (1200m).
With two combatants wide apart on the Callaghan Park track, Itza Motza ($9) held off the widest challenger Ten Carat Lucy (Ryan Wiggins- $3.10) to win by half a length. Outwitted (Ash Butler – $9) finished third. Wiggins, who rode the runner-up said to trainer Clinton Taylor, “I thought I was going to blow them away.” Ten Carat Lucy came with a storming finish but her run appeared to end as Itza Motza got momentum closer to the rail. Itza Motza has quite a strong Rocky record, winning twice and placing twice from six starts on the track.
- David Aldred (CEO)
