Rockhampton Racing Review: Tuesday 9th December 2025.

Cap Sales Graduate impressive on debut

It’s been a really good week for the Rockhampton Jockey Club’s Capricornia Yearling Sale, with a few debutantes impressing on the track, none more so that Swift Dragon a tough winner at Callaghan Park on Tuesday.

Trained by defending champion Liam Birchley, Swift Dragon mowed down the race favourite Wasabi Barbie for an impressive first start win in the TAB QTIS 2YO Handicap (1050m).

Starting at odds of $4.00, Swift Dragon was ridden by top rider Ryan Wiggins and over the final stages of the race he pulled clear to beat Wasabi Barbie ($1.45 – Tahlia Fenlon) by almost two lengths with Sport ($7.50 – Raul Silvera Olivera) running into third place about six lengths behind the winner. Wiggins was glowing in his praise for the chestnut gelding. “He can gallop,” he told Birchley’s stable man Roy Thompson. “He doesn’t know what he is doing yet, he will be better when he can settle back and leave it a little longer to finish off the race. “His time in the trip home was good.”

Birchley won the $168,000 Capricornia 2YO Classic this year with 200/1 shot, Kerzner.

The Sunshine Coast trainer shelled out $60,000 for the Dracarys – Tay Swift gelding, Swift Dragon at this Capricornia Yearling Sale and many of the owners of Kerzner, including popular Victorian race caller Ric McIntosh, have signed on for a share with quite a few locals in 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).

Brother and sister in bob of the head finish

Alisha Taylor got one up on her brother, premier trainer Clinton Taylor in the Great Northern QTIS 3YO Maiden Handicap on Tuesday at Callaghan Park.

The big group of owners in the One Syndications Group have been very patiently waiting for their filly Evaready Miss to get to the races and now that she has, syndicate manager Brandon Diplock is confident she can continue to deliver. “We have a bit of an opinion of her, and she did what we expected,” Diplock, the Vice Chairman of the RJC, said.

The first One Syndications runner for Taylor, Evaready Miss was ridden by Tahlia Fenlon and started at $5.50 after double figure odds were initially posted. All the betting money came for runner-up Lady Willpower ($1.75 – Ryan Wiggins) who finished second a head behind the winner, with Wayno ($6.50 – Ash Butler) taking third place two lengths from the winner.

Alisha Taylor now trains three horses for One Syndications.

Clinton Taylor said philosophically, “If you are going to get beaten, it may as well be by your sister.”

Evaready Miss was the first yearling purchase made by local syndicators One Syndications at the Magic Millions March Sales in 2024. The filly was selected by Jim Clarke Bloodstock and One Syndications paid $28,000 for her.

Presszora back in winner’s stall

Clinton Taylor did not need to wait long to find the winners’ circle. He saddled Presszora a couple of races later to win the CJB Constructions BM60 Handicap (1400m). The mare was ridden a gem of a race by Ash Butler who let her have her own way in front and get into a nice rhythm.

“That’s the way to ride her,” Taylor said. “She needs to roll along and get going into a nice stride, the young bloke (Tom Orr) got it a bit wrong last time, but we all need to learn. “Ash has a great record on her, with three wins, so we got it right as well.”

Presszora ($2.45f) led all the way and won by over a length from Replace The Ace ($6.50 – Tahlia Fenlon) with Craiglea La Vie $18.00 – Gabby Semmens) closing well for third place.

Presszora has now won four of her six race starts.

Rookie trainer Beck hits a goal with Next Legacy

Bajool’s Aaron Beck has been a real hit right off the stick with the rookie trainer getting a second win with his first horse Next Legacy in the Christmas Greetings from RJC – QTIS 3YO Handicap (1200m) at Callaghan Park.

Beck only started training in the last twelve months and Next Legacy, a $1,750 buy online is making him proud. The Australian Masters Hockey team rep player was chuffed with the victory, the first one he has seen the filly win. He was away in America when she won her first race, then had a couple of minor issues to be corrected before he could return her to the winner’s circle. “There’s horse trainers in my family, but this is the first time I have given one a go myself,” Beck said.

Next Legacy, a filly by King’s Legacy from Dark Love, was ridden by Raul Silvera Olivera started at $5.50 and came off the heels of the front runner Atlantic Rain to dash to the front and win the prize. Next Legacy won by a length from Bang Stick ($3.20-Olivia Webb)) with Saraquel ($3.20- Warwick Satherley) just behind them in third place. Atlantic Rain faded to run fourth. Beck said he liked Next Legacy so much that he also bought her younger half-sister this year. He snapped up the filly by Group 3 winner Prague for just $900. She is bred on the wonderful Redoutes Choice x More Than Ready cross.

Silvera Olivera loses an iron before completing a double

Raul Silvera Olivera completed a winning double on pocket rocket Doubting Eye in the Garrards Open Handicap (1050m) and he had to overcome an early race setback before he did it at Callaghan Park this week.

The jockey’s left foot slipped from the stirrup when the horses left the starting gates, and it took all his skill to reset before going on to win the race. “I lost it as we jumped and put it back in after 100m,” Silvera Olivera said. The Jason Morgan trained Doubting Eye quickly rounded up the field in front before Silvera Olivera again took hold to save a final sprint home. Camping behind the giant-sized Devil Devil coming into the straight, Silvera Olivera went for home 300m from the finish, passing Devil Devil before tracking down the leader Heartoni. Doubting Eye ($4.20) won by a head from Heartoni ($4.00 – Olivia Webb) with Devil Devil ($7.00- Sean Cormack) one and a half lengths away in third place.

“He is a little gem,” Morgan said of Doubting Eye who has now won nine of 34 starts.

$600 cheapie almost tips out high priced debutante

You never love your horse more than when you buy it. So, you would have to think owner Mike Cheung was head over heels for his black colt Galvanize when he bought him for $700,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sales.

He had his first start on Tuesday in the QTIS Maiden Plate (1400m) at Callaghan Park, almost two years after he paraded through the Gold Coast sale ring.

Prancing around the saddling enclosure like he knew how much he cost, Galvanize certainly gained most of the punter’s support but he was tipped for favouritism by Skilful Artist a $600 online cheapie purchased by veteran trainer Alan Jones earlier this year. Just when Galvanize ($2.80 – Ryan Wiggins looked set to win, along came Skilful Artist ($2.25 – Sean Cormack) to lay down the gauntlet. The finish had track watchers hedging bets but the judge Steve Bryant found a slender margin in favour of Galvanize. It was only a nose but it was enough to reward Cheung and Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick for their patience. Be Bob Aloola ($16.00- Tahlia Fenlon) ran third.

Galvanize’s  winners cheque was just $12,500 so there’s a fair bit more chaff required in the bin before the connections see a return on their investment.

The dam of Galvanize, Heart of Thrills throws stunning foals and one of her offspring Skidamarink sold for $1.2 million at the Inglis Easter Sale in 2021. She won just $100,000.

Lightning-fast run by Kai Mondo

Kai Mondo has been a terrific horse for Callaghan Park trainer Tom Bourke and he took his record to four wins from 14 starts in the Kennas Chartered Accountants BM62 Handicap (1050m) running close to record time.

Kai Mondo was fractionally outside Chinny Boom’s 2022 track record of 58.59s, running 58.7s for the sprint.

Apprentice jockey Nikki Olzard tracked the leaders and came with a good finish on Kai Mondo ($2.80) to narrowly defeat the well-tried Red Beauty ($2.90 -Tahlia Fenlon) and front-runner Universal Harmony ($6.00 -Jackson Murphy).

Mankelow keeps a great strike going with first provincial winner

Backing up from a perfect day of riding in Mackay last Saturday, apprentice jockey Maddie Mankelow closed out the Callaghan Park card, notching her first Provincial race winner on 4YO mare Smashing Rosie, trained by her bosses Toni and Nathan Schofield.

“She rode three winers for us, from her only three rides in Mackay last Saturday, but that was classed as a Country meeting, so this is Maddie’s first official provincial track success,” Nathan Schofield said proudly.

The Schofield’s who used to train at Callaghan Park some years ago, are now located at Barcaldine and have a good team of horses capable of winning on the coastal tracks in Central and North Queensland. They only had to pay $2000 for the Brave Smash mare, Smashing Rosie who was impressive in winning its second race. In the Wendy Mulry Travel BM 55 Handicap (1200m), Smashing Rosie ($2.70) had two lengths to spare on El Fortress ($2.00F – Raul Silvera Olivera) with Craiglea Bronte ($31.00 – Nat Summers) in third place.

• David Aldred (RJC) CEO