Rocky Racing Review: Friday 18th July

Hooray for Eagle Rock – 2YO beats older horses at Callaghan Park

Our Eagle Rock the youngest galloper in the 0-55 Handicap at Callaghan Park earned himself a trip to the Townsville carnival with a thrilling last stride victory over the talented Flying Animo on Friday.

Still a 2YO, Our Eagle Rock took on the older horses and came up trumps, giving his owners the Sturgiss family a pleasant surprise.

“We didn’t know whether we could beat the favourite, and he has done us proud,” Greg Sturgiss said. “They were older than him, so he had a bit against him today.”

Bred by Greg Sturgiss, Our Eagle Rock went into the race with a win and two minor placings next to his name against his own age. Race favourite Flying Animo, a 3YO trained by Ricky Vale had just one previous race for a victory in Townsville.

Bookmakers had the Ricky Vale trained Flying Animo (Mackenzie Apel) at very short odds of $1.26 to win. Our Eagle Rock, trained by Sileas Green and ridden by Nikki Olzard was $7.50.

They looked likely to run the race quinella, but most would have considered the older galloper would win. The duo settled down for a fierce tussle over the last 200m with Flying Animo sticking to its guns in front under riding from Apel. Olzard slowly wound back the margin with Our Eagle Rock putting its nose in front right on the line. Diamond Money (Adam Sewell -$12.00) finished third.

“We will head to Townsville now early next month, there’s a nice 3YO race there, for this horse” Sturgiss said.

Sturgis purchased Our Eagle Rock’s mother Talon Lady in foal from Widden Stud for just $1,500 and bred her to Your Song with Our Eagle Rock the result.

The foal she was carrying at the time of purchase, by Supido, Super Talon is also a handy galloper.

Premier local trainer back in the winners’ circle

Clinton Taylor closed out Friday’s race day winning the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1200m) with the in-form Gangitano.

The 4YO was ridden by Baily Wheeler started the $2.45 favourite and commanded the race defeating Canny Be Better (Ryan Wiggins – $3.80) with Chickerartie (Georgina Cartwright – $13.00) in third place. Gangitano’s winning margin was more than 2-1/2 lengths.

With 31 winners at Rockhampton meetings this season, Taylor has the RJC trainer’s premiership well and truly wrapped up. And his galloper Hellish, who runs in Townsville on Saturday looks like winning the 2024/25 Horse of the Year.

It was the first Callaghan Park win for Gangitano whose only other Northern win from four starts, since arriving from Victoria, was in Mackay. Taylor purchased Gangitano online last November for a big local ownership group paying $14,000 at an Inglis sale.

Injured Satherley watches his horse win from the grandstand

Warwick Satherley watched from the sidelines as Rothfury scored a game victory in the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m) at Callaghan Park.

The dual licensee, who trains and normally rides Rothfury was injured in a barrier mishap last Saturday at the Bluff Cup race meeting.

Satherley damaged ligaments in his foot after being jammed by a horse against the barrier uprights.

“I was lucky the guys in the barriers got me out otherwise it could have been worse, than an injured foot,” he said.

Satherley will be sidelined for at least a couple of weeks, but won’t know the full extent of the injury until he sees a specialist.

Rothfury, a three-year-old raced on lease, scored its third career victory from 14 starts.

The gelding by Rothesay started the $2.35 favourite and was ridden by Ryan Wiggins who controlled the speed from shortly after the start. At the 600m Rothfury was a length clear but was being pursued first by Electric Brae then Tizso Fab. Showing a ton of courage Rothfury held on for a ¾ length win from Tizso Fab (Jackson Murphy – $9.50) with three lengths to a tiring Electric Brae (Georgina Cartwright – $4.00).

New sponsor celebrates Open Handicap win

Alex Penklis one of the Rockhampton Jockey Club’s latest business partners celebrated a Callaghan Park win with Heartoni, a horse he shares in the ownership of, in the RJC Membership Open Handicap (1050m).

Trained by Stuart Kendrick, Heartoni scored a strong finishing victory. The Nicconi gelding started at $4.80 and reeled in the front runners to win by almost two lengths, giving apprentice Cody Collis and easy ride to the post. Dragon’s Snip (Jackson Murphy – $9.00) ran second with race leader Alloutatime (Nikki Olzard – $1.60 fav.) tiring to third place. Penklis, a principal of the Brisbane Airport Hotels Group, who sponsors the RJCs Rocky Turf Talk. Brisbane Airport Hotels Group include The Pullman, Novotel and Ibis Hotels near Brisbane Airpot.

The victory was Heartoni’s seventh, and first at Callaghan Park. Heartoni was a $14,000 online purchase for the Sunshine Coast Kendrick Racing three years ago.

Toowoomba apprentice steers favourite home to win its maiden

Upturn broke through for its first victory in the 2YO and 3YO Maiden (1200m) and the victory could have easily given Toowoomba-based apprentice jockey Chloe Lowe a perfect strike, with a little bit of luck.

The Kerrod Smyth-trained 3YO by Star Turn has only been in Smyth’s stable for a few weeks and has returned the trainer a win and a minor placing from two Callaghan Park starts. Upturn, the $2.40 favourite, who made its Rockhampton debut on Newmarket Day for a minor place, looked every inch a racehorse, going to the post strongly to defeat El Fortress (Sean Cormack- $2.70) by ¾ of a length with Turbo Torque (Cody Colis – $6.00) in third place almost five lengths from the winner. “That was a good ride by a promising young apprentice,” Smyth said. “She waited until it was time to go and did everything right.”

A flashy type, Upturn was a $150,000 yearling graduate from the Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale in 2023 bought by Campton Racing, before finding its way to Smyth.

The win made up for Lowe’s luckless ride on Upturn’s stablemate Dawn Embers who ran second in the previous race on the card.

Rum gets rumbling to win Maiden

Favourite backers were cheering in the Great Northern Maiden Plate (1200m) but those who supported runner-up Dawn Embers must have been thinking they were a trifle unlucky.

Chloe Lowe appeared to lose her reins when it was challenging to win the race.

Rum Rumble ($1.75) scored a decisive victory for trainer Ricky Vale and apprentice jockey Mackenzie Apel. Having its 10^th start, Rum Rumble snapped a frustrating run of minor placings and scored by close to three lengths from Dawn Embers ($3.25) with Peaking Tom ($5.00 -Jackson Murphy) a similar margin away in third place.

While Rum Rumble who went to the front on the home turn, was running along nicely in the lead, Dawn Embers raced erratically veering to the centre of the track, while her rider regained the reins. Once Lowe gathered them up Dawn Embers went to the line well but the bird had flown.

Rum Rumble raced by Freeman Racing is by Pierata from Smokin’ Hussay, a daughter of Huss On Fire, the dam of Group 1 winner Rothfire.

Blueblood fails to shine at Callaghan Park

Former Mark Currie-trained gelding Maravillas, now with Mackay trainer John Manzelmann, is the orphaned, last foal of the champion race mare Atlantic Jewel.

A big bay gelding Maravillas’ pedigree would make any Group 1 trainer envious, but the galloper just can’t seem to put it all together on the racetrack.

The winner of one race at Toowoomba from eight races so far, Maravillas made its Rockhampton debut, running last of six horses in the TAB Class 3 Handicap last Friday.

After racing handy early, he was never really in contention. Ridden by Adam Sewell, Maravillas was beaten almost nine lengths by the Bundaberg trained mare Boom Boom Bella.

Ridden by Georgina Cartwright for Lyn Petersen, Boom Boom Bella scored her second Callaghan Park win this preparation. Boom Boom Bella ($7.50) defeated Ultimate Outcome (Cody Collis – $3.60) with Street Glory (Ryan Wiggins – $5.50) in third place. Race favourite Magic Game (Bailey Wheeler – $2.20) ran fourth.

In 2020 the team at Coolmore Australia were devastated by the tragic death of Fastnet Rock’s multiple Group winning daughter Atlantic Jewel.

“It was a very sad day for everyone at Coolmore when we lost the great mare Atlantic Jewel while foaling,” said John Kennedy, Stud Manager after the mare’s demise.

“We were fortunate enough to save her Justify colt who went from strength to strength on his foster mother, which was great for his owners Laurie Macri, Mathilde Texier and others.

Atlantic Jewel was regarded by many as the best Fastnet Rock to race and her record backed up that claim. From a total of 11 starts, she had 10 wins – four of them Group I – and a lone second, with Dundeel the only horse to get the better of her when touching her out by a short head in the Group I Underwood Stakes.

Sent to Ireland to begin her stud career, Atlantic Jewel proved her class producing Group winning colt Russian Emperor to Galileo. She also had two other Galileo offspring.

Given the high regard in which she was held, you can see why the decision was made to bring the best daughter of Fastnet Rock to Australia to be covered by the best son of Scat Daddy in Justify, who is the only undefeated US Triple Crown winner in history.

Maravillas was a $240,000 yearling, originally sold at the 2022 Inglis easter Yearling Sales.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.