Rocky trainers dominate Mackay on Thursday.

Rockhampton trainers came within 1.3 lengths off clean-sweeping the six-race program at Mackay on Thursday, with Kevin Miller and Ricky Vale combining to win five races.

Miller’s Shiny Love kicked off the meeting with a dominant win over 1800m in Benchmark 60 company, scoring by 1.25L under Tahlia Fenlon.

It was Ricky Vale’s turn in Race 2, as 5YO gelding Intrepid Lad took out the Class 3 Handicap by a length under Aidan Holt.

Miller returned to the winner’s circle in Race 3, as debutant The House scored a dominant win under Rockhampton-based hoop, Raul Silvera Olivera.

The 3YO son of Tiger Of Malay had shown good ability at the Rockhampton trials, and he backed that up with a comfortable debut win, beating home his stablemate, Stormybob, to make it a Miller quinella.

It was then a race-to-race double for Miller, as Sailing Solo got the job done as a $6.50 chance in the QTIS Maiden Handicap over 1300m.

The gelded son of The Odyssey had previously placed in two of his six starts, but he was able to breakthrough at start seven on Thursday.

Ricky Vale and Raul Silvera Olivera made it winning doubles in Race 5, with Five Star King justifying his even-money quote to win by more than two lengths.

The ex-Victorian won two races at Yarra Valley in the summer of 2025, and following three minor placings from three runs for Vale, the 6YO scored a deserving win.

In the final event, Vale’s Determination travelled and presented as the winner, but he ultimately proved no match for Lachie Manzelmann’s race favourite, Our Missile, who overpowered Determination late.

Rocky trainers will look for more success over the weekend, with a strong team of local runners heading west to Dingo on Saturday, while Tom Smith will also take two runners south to the Queensland capital.

Smith will saddle up two runners in the opening event of the day at Doomben, a QTIS 3YO & 4YO Benchmark 68 over 1600m, with Bonewood the market elect over Bitter Spirit.

Bonewood, a 4YO son of Written By, was a big winner at Mackay back in June, before running second to subsequent Eagle Farm winner Neverenoughlego in the Ken Russell Memorial at Callaghan Park last month.

He took that good form to Townsville last start, where he surged late to finish third behind progressive 4YO Illegal Justice in the Townsville Guineas.

Bonewood will be partnered by apprentice jockey Montana Philpot, while stablemate Bitter Spirit will be ridden by Cejay Graham in what will be his third run of the preparation, following two fifths at Rockhampton.

Racing returns to Callaghan Park next Tuesday, with seven races set out to be run and won.

RJC Racing Liaison Officer, Nick Lloyd.