Rocky racing man remembered at Callaghan Park Friday

Dick Sullivan had four passions: his lovely wife, his work, horse racing and his taste for the best red wines of which he had a large climate-controlled cabinet full.

On Friday at Callaghan Park the Rockhampton Jockey Club staged the Dick Sullivan Memorial Maiden Handicap (1500m) in his honour. Sullivan, a Rockhampton and Gracemere real estate legend passed away suddenly in 2019 and his wife, Lyn Sullivan has kept his memory alive in Rockhampton with the running of the Rockhampton trophy race, held annually each November.

Lyn also has kept the family racing interests going and currently trains her successful mare Lynric Lass who is named after Dick and herself.

Emerald’s Glenda Bell saddled promising 4YO Shy Rebel for its first race win in the special race. The mare by Merchant Navy was ridden by Madeline Wishart and took control of the Dick Sullivan Memorial Maiden Handicap (1500m) in the home straight before drawing clear from Hadmytime and Peaking Tom to win comfortably.

The Hong Kong-owned Shy Rebel began its racing career with David Vandyke on the Sunshine Coast before being picked up by Bell this season. From a Bernadini mare, Shy Rebel was a $160,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate in 2022. She is bound to improve further as the races get longer and is likely to improve on her win and two placing – eight start-record, in the coming months.

Shy Rebel’s dam, Shy Girl (USA) is a international star. She has produced 11 times American winner Strike Lightning as well as a Jamaican winner. She stems from a classy family including Crystal Symphony, a Group 3 race winner at Gulfstream Park (USA).

Stable foreman Scott Power said it’s a real pleasure to win the Dick Sullivan Memorial. “Glenda and I are proud to accept the trophies for this race, the Sullivan’s both Dick and Lynn have given so much to thoroughbred and harness racing in Rocky,” he said

Lyn Sullivan presented trophies to Bell, Power and Wishart after the race.

CLEM CELEBRATES FIRST ROCKY DOUBLE

Laurie Clem trained his first Rockhampton double and the only person who was smiling outside the stable and its loyal supporters was the local bookie.

Both of Clem’s winners Bornee’s Lad and Little Miss Belle were home-bred and both horses won at long odds. As much as 100/1 was bet about Bornee’s Lad and Little Miss Belle was a 25/1 shot. ”This is a first for me,” a beaming Clem said after the race. “I’ve trained a winning double before at Thangool but never at Callaghan Park – I’ve gone back-to-back here today.”

Bornee’s Lad, ridden by apprentice jockey Brodie Moffatt, found the lead and clung to it despite being challenged strongly in the run to the line. Bornee’s Lad (Carrara – Born to Survive) held on to win in a photo from Woodstock Rock with Holy Crown getting third in front of The Hairdresser. The victory was Bornee’s Lad’s second this season and his sixth win from 26 starts.

WALLY THE WHIP HAS A HAND IN CLEM’S ROUGHIE’S WIN

Former champion Callaghan Park jockey Wally Welburn played a hand in a juicy odds win by the Clem stable’s other winner, pint-sized 5YO mare Little Miss Belle in the NAB Regional Agribusiness Class 3 Plate (1050m).

Welburn rides the galloper in its trackwork and was there to advise winning apprentice jockey Chelsea Baker on the best way to ride her. “She’s only little but she has a big stride, smooth as silk,” Welburn said. “I said to Chelsea let the other work behind you and just let your horse run its own race.” Little Miss Belle (De Shamekh – Bulletin Belle) a homebred by Clem, was a longshot in betting but strode home like a good thing, winning by more than three-lengths from the favourite, the Kerrod Smyth-trained Lamentum and its stablemate Impactful Miss. Welburn, who now works as the horse gate attendant at Callaghan Park jumped in the winning photo to celebrate the mare’s success.

BO BO GIVES PUNTERS AN EASY WATCH

Kerrod Smyth’s Bo Bo Beware got punters off to a winning start at Friday’s six race Callaghan Park meeting by taking out the Great North 55 Handicap (1500m).

Rated perfectly in front by Liv O’Donnell Bo Bo Beware gave nothing else a chance in the run to the line, winning by 4.25 lengths. A head separated the chasers, General Hippo and Roy’s Road. Smyth was full of praise for apprentice jockey O’Donnell who started her career in Rockhampton before heading south. “I hope she gets more opportunities, she is a good rider,” Smyth said.

Bo Bo Beware has proven a bargain investment for Smyth. The 5yo gelding was purchased from an Inglis online sale earlier this year for $8,500. He has now won twice at Callaghan Park and once in Mackay. Bo Bo Beware is lightly raced and superbly bred. He’s by Dundeel from the Redoute’s Choice mare Unforgivable a daughter of the former smart galloper Paulini.

BIG CAT MAKES ITS THREE IN A ROW

“This is a quality racehorse,” trainer Nick Walsh said after former Victorian Big Cat strung together its third consecutive Rockhampton race win.

Big Cat join Walsh’s stable this season and hasn’t looked back thriving in the northern climate. Placed at its first two local starts in Mackay, before its hat-trick of wins, Big Cat looks set to go through the grades and possibly is up to metropolitan class. Warwick Satherley had an armchair ride on the gelding, with Big Cat strolling home over four lengths clear of its rivals Noble Heart and Graysong in quick time, only fractionally outside Our Boy Malachi’s class record.

A $300,000 yearling for Griffiths – DeKock Racing, Big Cat is impeccably bred by Brazen Beau from Pride Rock, a Fastnet Rock mare who won at Flemington for Griffith’s stable.

SUNNYCOAST CONTINES TO SHINE

Former top local two-year-old Sunnycoast continued to build on its impressive record with a narrow but game win in the TAB Class 6 Handicap (1100m).

Trainer Jamie McConachy has the now 4YO gelding racing in great heart and the son of Sebring Sun put together back-to-back wins, taking its record to six wins from 11 starts. Bred by Byan and Lorraine Hall’s Graceville Thoroughbred’s Sunnycoast proved to be a handful for jockey Raul Silvera Olivera. Silvera said he had to work for the win.

”I was fighting him from the turn and he just got there,” he said.

Always looking in control Sunnycoast withstood a bold late bid by the Steve Rundle newcomer, Deep Blast to win narrowly. Bencoolen finished third.

Hall said he has another promising galloper from the mare Even So in work with Jamie McConachy and the mare also has a foal at foot.

–David Aldred RJC CEO