Rocky Racing Review: Thursday 22nd May.

PARADE GROUND MAY BE ON A MARCH TO CUPS

Ricky Vale could aim Parade Ground at bigger targets during the winter after last year’s Guineas winner returned to best form in the BM 70 Handicap (1400m) at Callaghan Park on Thursday.

Troubled by calcium deficiencies, Parade Grounds form has been “a bit hit and miss” but the trainer knew his ability would come to the fore once he had the gelding’s health right.

Ridden patently by Ryan Wiggins, Parade Ground ($4.40) always had his opposition covered on Thursday.

He defeated Sunshine Coast galloper Menazzi (Corey Southerland -$7.50) by more than a length with the well-supported $2.70 favourite, The Last Saga (Warwick Satherley) in third place.

Vale is contemplating stepping up the one time- James Cummings trained 4YO to bigger targets including next month’s Tattersalls Cup and possibly the TAB Rockhampton Cup in early July.

Both of these races are over a mile and Vale said the jury is still out as to whether the horse will run a strong mile. “I am not convinced,” he said. “If he gets the speed on though, and he can relax in the race he may just surprise, we will wait and see on that one.”

Parade Ground won the Magic Millions Capricorn Guineas (1500m) at Callaghan Park last July then ran third in the Townsville Guineas (1609m) after getting a knock at a vital stage of the race. The gelding lost form before winning first up at Callaghan Park over 1200m in March then was ridden forward when last of seven in Mackay in April.

“I think we have him right now and he has the ability to win better races,” Vale said.

Parade Ground is by Doomben 10,000 winner Epaulette from the Godolphin mare Regimen by Sepoy.

HENRY AND MATE HELP WINNING OWNERS CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS

Two owners had and added reason to celebrate at Callaghan Park when their horses won races at the meeting.

Longtime horseman and racing enthusiast Col Bell celebrated his 71^st birthday with a winner and so two did young gun Jordan Lehmann, son of former jockey Mark Lehmann, who got his winner the day before his 30^th birthday.

Bell’s horse As Me Mate, trained by Kevin Hansen was ridden by Tasha Chambers to win the TAB QTIS 3YO Handicap (1400m).

Chambers steered the Better Than Ready three-year-old to the centre of the track in the home straight and the galloper drew clear to win easily. Ask Me Mate the $2.60 favourite defeated the Darryl Hansen-trained Royal Gladiator ($26 – Georgina Cartwright) by 1-3/4 lengths with the Warwick Satherley trained and ridden Rothfury ($4.80) beaten four lengths in third place.

Bell joked that Ask Me Mate was headed for a career as a rodeo horse if he didn’t measure up this week. “My sons have success at the rodeos, so I was thinking about it.

Hansen reckons there is a few more wins in store for Ask Me Mate before anyone considers a career change for him.

Lehmann shares in the ownership of the Clinton Taylor- trained Henry’s Blade, who scored a courageous victory in the BM 70 Handicap (1100m). Henry’s Blade has won four out his five starts for the ownership group. Wearing the Brisbane Broncos maroon and gold silks, Henry’s Blade ($2.30) looked likely to be claimed by runners chasing in the home straight but found plenty of fight to win by a neck from Call Me Marilyn ($5.50 – Nikki Olzard)_and Pretty Slick ($5.50 -Ryan Wiggins).

SUNSHINE COAST 3YO OPENS ITS WINNING ACCOUNT AT CALLAGHAN PARK

Well-credentialed three-year-old Snow Show bred by Magic Millions maestro Gerry Harvey opened its winning account in the Callaghan Park 1400 metre Maiden. A half-brother to local galloper Bencoolen, Snow Show was having its fifth start and seemed to appreciate Rocky’s spacious track. Trained at the Sunshine Coast by Stuart Kendrick, Snow Show was a comfortable winner for jockey Ryan Wiggins beating Boom Crusher (Warwick Satherley) by more than a length with Rum Rumble (Tahlia Fenlon) finishing third. Despite showing ability in the southeast, bookmakers were generous with the odds for Snow Show who started at $6. Check One Two a Kerrod Smyth-trained stablemate of Boom Crusher started the $3.70 favourite and finished sixth, over three lengths from the winner. Snow Show is bound to get better as he steps up in distance. He is by Tarzino (NZ) from Danehill mare Show Exhibit.

ONLINE BARGAIN WINS FIRST-UP FOR COOK

Outwitted, who raced competitively against southern stakes winners early in its career scored its first victory in more than 18 months when it won the Class 1 Handicap (1200m) at its first local start for trainer Tim Cook.

Ridden by Ash Butler, Outwitted looked superior to its opposition, despite a starting price of $8.50 and the four-year-old romped home by more than two lengths from Norther Rivers galloper Immortality (Corey Sutherland – $7.50) with the heavily backed local favourite, Spellmaster (Justin Stanley $1.40), struggling to stay in touch in third place, five lengths from the winner. Outwitted (Sidestep – Shaumari) was bred by Godolphin Australia and former originally raced in Victoria before its latest starts in December and February in southeast Queensland. As a two-year-old, he showed promise running fourth to Adelaide Guineas winner Poifect and third to the classy Melbourne galloper Mollyknickers. A run of outs followed its maiden win in Victoria and Cook was fortunate to snap up the gelding at an Inglis online sale in February for just $1,250.

HANSEN NOTCHES VICTORY WITH PRINCE OF SOOVIEW

Darryl Hansen knows as well as anyone what it takes to win a feature race.

The outstanding trainer is a prolific winner of Rocky’s Newmarket Handicap and he has vowed to return to win it again this year.

Now based at the Sunshine Coast, Hansen has trained in Rockhampton, Townsville and Mackay and loves getting back to North Queensland to win big races. On Thursday he teamed with jockey Jai Williams to win the Class Three Handicap (1300m) with the impressive Prince Of Sooview. “I couldn’t believe the starting price, not that I bet but $8.00?,” Hansen said. Prince of Sooview had just over a length to spare on the Deagon trained Treasurer (Ash Butler – $4.20) with $3.50 favourite El Of A Senorita (Ryan Wiggins) in third place. A four-year-old chestnut gelding, Prince Of Sooview is by Sooboog from Hennessy’s View and the $10,000 buy has been going along okay since winning his maiden at the Sunshine Coast in August 2023. A Gatton and Kilcoy winner, Prince Of Sooview had also shown promise at his two previous Rockhampton starts finishing second and then fourth in April and early May.

OWEN PLANS ON WINNING MORE RACES AT CALLAGHAN PARK

Brett Owen has arrived at Callaghan Park with two horses and plans on staying here right through to the local Carnival.

The Sunshine Coast trainer saddled Bull Dimple Rum to win the 0-55 Handicap (1050m) at its Rocky debut. Given a peach of a ride by Nathan Thomas, Bull Dimple Rum ($12) defeated Tahkian Bubbles (Amy Graham – $9) with $3.20 favourite Hey Jealousy (Sean Cormack) finishing third.

It’s been a long time between drinks for Bull Dimple Rum, with its last victory in July 2023 at Toowoomba. Thursday’s win was the rising 8YO galloper’s fourth from 54 starts.

Owen’s other galloper currently stabled in Rockhampton is All England (I Am Invincible – London Lolly), a former Victorian, Sandown race winner, who campaigned last year in Alice Springs.

By David Aldred CEO -RJC