Rocky racing roundup: Thursday 19 December.

RAUL’S UNIQUE TALENT WILL BE ON SHOW AT EAGLE FARM

If 2007 Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michael Rodd is right, Rockhampton-based Uruguayan jockey Raul Silvera Olivera may be armed with a unique advantage when he rides in Brisbane.

Silvera Olivera is one of a select group of jockeys riding in Queensland who is capable of getting horses to change their lead legs at high speed.

Look at the jockey’s victory on Biker in a Maiden at Callaghan Park, 7 December, and you will see how he executes the action.

Some years back when Rodd was riding overseas, he examined the South American riders unique style setting them apart from our jockeys. “Everyone talks about Joao (Moreira), he is the ‘Magic Man’ and rightfully so – a freakish talent,” Rodd said at the time. “What I noticed in Singapore is something that Joao and Manoel Nunes do so well, the Brazilian jockeys can change horse’s legs quite a bit during a race – I really do think this is what gives them that extra gear.”

Silvera Olivera has been trained the same way and can also teach horses the practice. As an apprentice he and other young riders were placed in a riding arena and the boss would be instructing them when to change the horse’s lead legs.

“It’s a common teaching at home,” Silvera Olivera said.

Silvera Olivera will have his first Brisbane ride at Eagle Farm today (Saturday), partnering with the Jamie McConachy-trained Sunnycoast in the Class 6 Handicap (1000m). Just getting a chance to ride in Brisbane is a huge win for the jockey who has had an ambition to race in Brisbane since first riding in Australia midway through last year. After facing challenges to return to his Rockhampton base earlier this season, Silvera Olivera said he was determined to ride a city winner. A Group race winning jockey overseas, Silvera-Olivera has been in top form since returning to Central Queensland from Uruguay, winning races at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park and Mackay’s Ooralea. He has an affinity with Sunnycoast, a smart local galloper that has won six of 11 races including his last two under Silvera Olivera’s guidance. He rode Sunnycoast when the chestnut gelding won in Mackay midway through last month and again was the pilot for the 4YO son of Sebring Sun’s latest Rockhampton victory in a Class 6 (1100m) on 29 November. In that race Sunnycoast defeated Deep Blast and Bencoolen. Prior to those two victories Sunnycoast indicated that he was in for a fantastic preparation with a commanding Callaghan Park 900m trial win defeating city winner Cherry Rose and Namazu. Owner, Gracemere Thoroughbred’s Bryan Hall has a good relationship with Silvera Olivera and said he is looking forward to the race in Brisbane. “Raul is winning on my horse, and I didn’t consider anyone else would ride him, hopefully we can celebrate another win together,” Hall said. Sunnycoast is a $5.00 chance, on the second line in early betting, to complete his hattrick of wins. Bookies have smart 5YO, Tony Gollan-trained mare Bezique who resumes in this race as the $1.80 favourite.

COME ON BARBIE LET’S GO PARTY

Master Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan rates Hi Barbie more advanced and potentially better than her mother Outback Barbie. Gollan said on radio this week, she is a bigger type and more progressive than her dam. Gollan trained Outback Barbie for the late Alan Acton and the filly finished third in the Magic Millions at its third race start. Hi Barbie will have its second race for Alan’s wife Jennifer in today’s Bruce McLachlan Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm after emulating her mother and winning on debut. Jennifer Acton is looking to conjure a Magic Millions miracle with the filly which was the last foal bred by Alan. Jennifer pledged to continue her husband’s racing interests following his death last year in a tragic helicopter crash while mustering cattle. Hi Barbie’s racing schedule is the same as Outback Barbie’s  was when she placed third at her third race start in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast. Hi Barbie looked pretty special in overcoming unsuitable wet conditions to win the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1110m) at Doomben on a Heavy 10 , 30 November. Angela Jones, who rode the I Am Invincible filly on debut will again be in the saddle from barrier 10.

SUNSHINE COAST MAIDENER FINISHES THE YEAR ON A WINNING NOTE

It’s taken him six starts including two previous runs this preparation to get it right, but on Thursday Aquaholic loved the wet track presented at Callaghan Park and notched his first victory. Trained by Stuart Kendrick, Aquaholic returned to racing for a second preparation and finished second on his home track over 1000m before failing at his next start at Ipswich. Well supported in betting at Callaghan Park, Aquaholic was ridden by Cody Collis and powered away to beat the Kris Hansen trained Run Freda Run (Justin Huxtable) and Nick Walsh’s Boyfriend Material (Ryan Wiggins) in the Maiden (1200m). Aquaholic (Headwater – All Yours) was an $18,000 purchase by Kendrick Racing in 2022. The gelding’s dam All Yours, a winning More Than Ready mare was trained bon the Sunshine Coast by the late Mick Mair, for former leading owner, Caloundra-based Roy Thompson.

EVERYBODY LOVES WATERMELON AT CHRISTMAS TIME

Sunshine, Santa Claus and Watermelon are three certainties at Christmas time in Queensland and Deagon trainer Ray Dart and jockey Justin Stanley made sure two of them got delivered at Thursday’s races. The sun was shining and Dart’s 4YO Watermelon lapped up the rain affected track to win Benchmark 62 Handicap (1805m). It was a hit and run raid for Dart who returned home to Brisbane shortly after the race with Watermelon in tow. Stanley told the trainer the horse went really well, and he liked the track. “Just loved the soft going,” Stanley said. Watermelon, a beautifully named gelding by Russian Revolution from Quench The Thirst, worried race favourite Street Glory (Olivia Kendal out of the lion’s share of the prize. John Wigginton’s Street Glory looked to have the race in its keeping but Watermelon kept coming at the business ben of the distance. Honest galloper Roy’s Road trained by Zoe Hohn and ridden by Raul Silvera Oliver, finished third.

FINE SHOT BACK IN WINNERS’’ LIST AFTER 10 MONTH DROUGHT

Justin Stanley doubled up later in the day with a brilliant winning ride on Fine Shot in Thursday’s TAB Magic Millions Country Cup Qualifier Open Handicap at Callaghan Park. In a good dash to the line, Stanley used all of his magic to win the race after a great battle with Under The Cap (Cody Collis). Media Empire (Warwick Satherley) was beaten less than two lengths in third place. Its been a while between drinks for Fine Shot’s connection. The previous win for the Nick Walsh trained gelding was in February with Stanley in the saddle. Fine Shot is raced by the Diplock,Green, Beak, Hackett and Dunnett families and has now recorded five wins and six placings from just 14 race starts.

ROCKY STAR NAMAZU BREAKS DOWN

Unfortunately, the Open Handicap resulted in the 2024 The Archer winner Namazu breaking down about 400m from the finish.

The Ricky Vale trained local star was carrying 66.5kg at his 45^th race start when he faltered under 3kg claiming apprentice jockey McKenzie Apel in the home straight.

The winner of over $1 million in prize money, Namazu was transported off track for treatment. The Callaghan Park vets on track diagnosis of Namazu’s injuries was a dislocation of the big gelding’s nearside front fetlock and suspensory damage.

BARGAIN BUY ROLLS ON ODDS POP

Jockey Liv O’Donnell was at her brilliant best lifting Noble Heart to victory over short-priced favourite Nondisclosure in the Benchmark 65 Handicap at Callaghan Park this week. Riding $900 bargain Noble Heart, O’Donnell track down race leader Nondisclosure (Ash Butler) in the run to the line and nailed him at the finish. General Wolffe (Olivia Kendall) ran third. “She a very good jockey,” winning trainer Kerrod Smyth said. “And she definitely deserves a huge wrap for that win.”  Bred by Gerry Harvey and formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse, Noble Heart made his way to Central Queensland after being bought cheaply online by Smyth. A Kyneton winner for Waterhouse, Noble Heart had his first Rockhampton start in June and posted his first local win in July. The victory was his third from 14 race starts. By Better Than Ready from Alexandretta, a daughter of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown from a daughter of 1990 Golden Slipper winner Canny Lad, looks set be a huge money spinner for Smyth.

BUNDABERG FRUITY GETS THE GOODS IN GREEN RETIREMENT RACE

Bundaberg galloper Moissanite, raced in partnership by popular fruit grower Keith “Marto” Martin, proved to be select pickings for trainer Gary Clem in the Happy Retirement Graeme and Julie Green Maiden Plate (1500m).

Martin and co-owners made the trek north to cheer Moissanite (Adam Sewell) home to a narrow win over Fictive (Raul Silvera Olivera) with My Pepperjack in third place. Bred to be a stayer, Mossanite appreciated the 1500m journey and the sting out of the racing surface.  Marto Farms paid $22,000 for the former Ciaron Maher gelding at an online sale in July. In 2022, he was a $380,000 Magic Millions yearling. Superbly bred Moissanite is by champion stallion Fastnet Rock from a Gallileo, French mare Tiberias. Moissanite won a Rockhampton trial last month before finishing second at Thangool, All of his previous form was on Victorian country track.

ALLOUTATIME IN THE WINNER’S LIST

There was a huge cheer from two camps during the finish of Thursday’s Class 1 Plate with the Sileas Green trained Alloutatime getting the result over the John Wigginton trained Power of Katie.

It’s been a long road for Alloutatime’s loyal owners with the mare having its first race since February. After trialling well Green produced the mare in good form and with Ryan Wiggins in the saddle it dug deep to hold off a determined Power of Katie (Warwick Satherley) and Discovered Gold (McKenizie Apel) in third place.

GRAYSONG GETS THE BACON FOR BOODLE

Rocky butcher, and former RJC chairman Peter Boodle and his wife Madonna can celebrate Christmas early after winning the Class 3 Plate at Callaghan Park this week with honest galloper Graysong.

The 5yo rarely runs a bad race and was in his sweet spot for this race  coming from midfield to overhaul the race favourites. At odds of $5.00, the John Stephens-trained Grayson was ridden by Olivia Kendal and had 2-1/4 lengths to spare on runner up Deciduous (Raul Silvera Olivera) with The Last Saga (Michael Murphy) rattling home into third place. Boodle got himself a very good buy when he paid just $250 for Graysong (I Am Invincible – Rewaaya)  n July. Just three months earlier Graysong went through an online sale for $30,000 and in 2021 he was an Inglis Easter Yearling Sale graduate, sold in the ring for $160,000 to Mick Price.

BUTLER ON SONG WITH A PERFECT QUARTET AT OORALEA

Rockhampton jockey Ash Butler had reason to celebrate Christmas early in Mackay last Saturday. Butler had four rides at Ooralea for four wins, a perfect winning strike. The reigning ‘The Archer’ champion, Butler kicked off the Mackay program on a winning note, taking out the QTIS 2YO Handicap (1050m) on Tom Button’s promising youngster, Bang Stick. He also won the second race the MTC Maiden Handicap (1050m) for Bronte Kent, riding King Pin Power, and made it a hattrick in race three on Rockhampton’s In Evidence who comfortably won the Class 6 Plate (1100m) for trainer John Wigginton. Butler and Wigginton completed a double when Southaven won the fifth race, the QTIS 3YO Handicap (1300m). Rocky trainers Peter Fleming and Zoe Hohn also celebrated wins with Gladstone’s Adam Briskey winning the other race of the seven-event card. Fleming’s Poet’s Day continued its great form winning its third Mackay race in the space of two months. Ridden by well-travelled jockey Adrian Layt, Poet’s Day won the Open Handicap (1560m), defeating Chasin’Chex. Raul Silvera Olivera closed the meet in the BM58 (1560m) with an emphatic win on the Hohn-trained Roy’s Road. Briskey’s winner was Cavente, ridden by Rocky’s Warwick Satherley in the BM62 (1200m).

FERGUSON PARK SAND LOVER CLOCKS A RECORD

Filling a sand track up with water presents it in the best possible racing condition. The sand and water blend into a consistency similar to the wet surface found at the water’s edge where waves have lapped the beach. Aided by a heavy downpour on Saturday, Gladstone’s Ferguson sand was optimum for Ian Prizeman’s speedster Svindal who recorded a track record. Heavy rain during the afternoon prompted QRIC stewards and jockeys to undertake a track inspection before the Open Handicap and when there were no issues found the greenlight was given for the races to continue with the local veteran Svindal and Rockhampton’s Janean starting the $2 equal favorites in the 1000 metre dash. The 8-year-old Svindal ridden by Hannah Phillips was in his element on his home track. From the inside gate he carried 62.5kg to record his 15^th success, 14 of which have been on good tracks, beating the Callaghan Park trained Grand De Lago (Nathan Evans) in a tight finish with Janean (Violet Soulsby) more than five lengths away in third place. By Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes winner Albrecht (Redoute’s Choice – O’Giselle), Svindal clocked 58.21 bettering a long standing Ferguson Park record. Svindal’s time was a full second quicker than his previous Gladstone 1000 metre win in March this year.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.