Rockhampton Racing Review: Tuesday 25th August, 2026.

Taylor opens new season’s winning account with a double

Short-priced favourite Red Scentsation didn’t give his opposition a look in, easily taking out the Regional Insurance Brokers QTIS Maiden (1100m) at Callaghan Park on Tuesday.

The winner was the first leg of a winning double for trainer Alisha Taylor who also won the Centre State Signs BM65 Handicap (1050m) with Metalcraft, who made its Rockhampton debut for owner Larry Acton.

Taylor’s Zousain gelding, Red Scentsation started at short odds of $1.60 with Brandon Lerena taking the three-year-old straight to the front before going unheaded. Newcomer Urban Reality was specked in betting and ran a great race. Ridden by Adam Sewell, Urban Reality ($8.00) finished three-and-a-half lengths behind the winner, with Next Exit (Steph Tierney – $4.20) a further length back in third place. It was the second race start for Red Scentsation, a $50,000 buy at the 2025 Magic Millions Book 2 Yearling Sale.

Metalcraft did all its early racing in the south-east corner with Eagle Farm trainer Kelly Schweida before being purchased by Acton and transferred to Taylor’s barn in the last couple of months. Its trial form leading up to its Callaghan Park debut was good. The Better Than Ready four-year-old has now won four of its nine race starts. Also ridden by Brandon Lerena, Metalcraft started the $3.00 favourite and won by 1-1/2 lengths from Triple Triple (Warwick Satherley – $21.00) with Idhana (Adam Sewell – $21.00) a similar margin back in third place.

Jupiter starts the racing year with back-to-back wins

The Rodney Hay-owned Next Stop Jupiter has kicked off the 2026/27 racing season with consecutive victories at Callaghan Park.

For the second time in two weeks, Next Stop Jupiter passed the post first with Sean Cormack in the saddle. She won her Maiden at Callaghan Park on 13 August and on Tuesday took out the Caulfield Cup on Sale 0-55 Handicap.

The Kevin Miller-trained Admire Mars mare has only raced five times and is building an impressive record.

Next Stop Jupiter started at $3.00 and her winning margin in the 0-55 Handicap was three lengths. She defeated Snazzy Snitzel (Amy Graham -$8.50) with Belvedere Miss (Warwick Satherley – $2.80) in third place.

Open Handicap goes to Sunny Coast speedster

Stuart Kendrick and Kayla Johnston combined to win the TAB Open Handicap (1050m) with eight-year-old speedster Maximum Output.

The All Too Hard gelding was well fancied in the betting at $3.40 and outpaced the local mare Track Tale to find the lead. He then was never headed in the run, clocking 59.2 for the sprint. Saraqael (Warwick Satherley – $4.40) zipped home strongly into second place at the finish to be less than a length from the winner with Track Tale (Raul Silvera Olivera – $3.40)  hanging on for third place. It was Track Tale’s final race with the mare heading to the breeding barn this spring. It was Maximum Output’s 10^th career success.

Champers celebration with another win

In a race decimated by scratchings, just three horses contested the Jamie Parnell Psychology QTIS 3YO Handicap (1050m).

Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick originally had four horses accepted to run but lost some of his runners due to mishaps over the weekend. The one that he started, Another Champers stepped up to get the prize, and managing owner Kerry Finn and his wife Colleen were on track to celebrate the win.

Ridden by Steph Tierney, Another Champers ($1.60) put her two opponents away over the final 100m drawing clear of Barbarian King (Sean Cormack $4.60) and La Premiere (Kayla Johnston -$3.90). Another Champers won by 1-1/2 lengths. Bred by Eureka Stud, Another Champers was an $80,000 yearling purchase at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale.

It was the fifth start for the daughter of Wild Ruler and Miss Clicquot for her second race win and her third cheque.

Outwitted scores last stride victory

Outwitted nailed Moochi Starlight right on the line to win a deceptive photo finish to the Great Northern Class 5 Plate (1200m).

A luckless galloper Moochi Starlight ran its 10^th second placing from 19 starts, after looking set to score its third victory, a stride from the post.

Trained locally by Tim Cook, Outwitted (Nikki Olzard) launched its claim inside the final 200m and although he was grinding away strongly he did not look likely to pick up the leader Moochi Starlight (Warwick Satherley) until the final few strides. Wolfgang (Sean Cormack) raced outside the leader and battled on well to finish in third place. Cook bought Outwitted at an online auction in February 2025 for just $1250.

Remember the Boys in winning form

Remember The Boys posted his second career success from just six starts.

Trainer Jason Morgan has been very patient with the five-year-old Omaha Beach gelding and it’s starting to pay dividends. Remember The Boys (Raul Silvera Olivera – $3.00) won the LJ Hooker 0-55 Handicap (1400m) defeating the heavily backed favourite Red Feathers (Brandon Lerena – $2.80) by more than three lengths with Autumn Gale (Paul Hamblin – $5.50) in third place. Luxor Prince lost rider Nikki Olzard in the starting gates and did not participate.

The victory was Silvera Olivera’s second for the season so far.

Track Renovation and Irrigation Upgrades

Racing at Callaghan Park goes into recess for a month with the Rockhampton Jockey Club undertaking the annual renovation of the turf course.

Twin View Turf, Racing Queensland and NQ Turf staff have arrived at Callaghan Park to get the renovation underway this week.

During the recess, the Callaghan Park course proper’s irrigation will be repaired and upgraded to a new system and the sand training track will have irrigation added to the outside of the track. This work will be undertaken by Project Pumps and Irrigation.

Racing resumes at Callaghan Park on Friday 2 October.

• David Aldred (CEO)