A review of all the Callaghan Park action at St Patrick’s Day races.

HELL OF A ST PATRICK’S DAY FOR WALSH AND O’DONNELL AT CALLAGHAN PARK

St Patrick’s own story is one of faith, resilience, and cultural pride, so I wonder what he would have made of the racehorse named Hell winning his race, the Masot – St Patrick’s Day Open (1050m) at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park today?

After his death on 17 March, 461 AD., Patrick became Irelands patron saint, and his legacy lives on.  Over time, people have honoured him with feasts and parties, and what started as a religious holiday has become a global celebration of the Irish culture, we now know it.

Rockhampton racegoers had their own feast and party at the local races and many cheered Hell all the way home.

But Hell wasn’t the only runner from the Nick Walsh stable that the punters raised a glass for. Walsh’s stable was on fire and so was his rider, apprentice jockey Liv O’Donnell who bettered his performance with a career best four winners.

Riding with the luck of the Irish, O’Donnell will remember this St Patrick Day race meeting for a long time. The Toowoomba-based, Rockhampton-raised apprentice won three consecutive races for Walsh on Hell, Daimyo (BM 60 Handicap) and Fortress Australia (Class 4 Handicap), then topped off her day with a fourth victory for Tom Bourke on Kai Mondo in the Maiden Plate 1050m.

It was O’Donnell’s first ever quartet of wins. Ï was excited to get my first treble, and this is great,” O’Donnell said as she was surrounded by well-wishers while unsaddling her fourth. The fleet-footed Hell showed all the determination of St Patrick to get the prize.

The $1.65 favourite lasted to win by a short half head from the fast finisher Doubting Eye (Warwick Satherley) with Just Super (McKenzie Apel) a couple of lengths away in third place. Raced by One Syndications, Hell has now won seven of 15 race starts and has won a state-wide following.

“He will be greatly benefitted by that run too,” One Syndications Brandon Diplock said.  “I know I am talking up my own horse, but he’s still got lengths of improvement in him, hopefully another good preparation coming up.”

Hell was having his first run since the middle of December, when he finished off his last preparation at Eagle Farm. He was a winner at both Eagle Farm and Doomben last campaign and the galloper is giving his big group of owners a tremendous ride.

With Nick busy at the Gold Coast’s QTIS Jewel race day, his wife Brooke saddled up the winning treble for the stable. Japanese-bred Daimyo, a new busy addition to the Walsh stable,  won the BM60 Handicap (1050m). A superbly bred 5YO, Daimyo is from the same family as dual Group 1 winning stallion. Brave Smash The gelding made its CQ debut in Mackay and the Callaghan Park win was its first since its Grafton victory in the spring. Daimyo ($4.80) ran on strongly to beat $1.80 favourite, Alloutatime (Nikki Olzard) with the leader Quartershare ($21) (Jackson Murphy) running third.

O’Donnell’s ride for a hattrick on Fortress Australia, the $2.20 favourite, had to be seen. With Diddly Squat ($3.00) free running for Nikki OLzard in front, O’Donnell found herself pocketed inside of Warwick Satherley’s mount Amberinger ($4.20). O’Donnell bumped her way clear then chased down the Clint Taylor-trained Diddly Squat to score by a neck.

Diplock said the plan is to give Hell his next start in Brisbane, then get him ready hopefully for the $1m The Archer at the Rocky Amateurs at Callaghan Park.

The Bourke trained Kai Mondo broke its opposition’s heart and O’Donnell never looked back after taking the lead from the barrier.

The $1.35 favourite won The Maiden Plate (1050m) by almost eight lengths and the further they went the further 3YO Heroic Valour gelding went ahead. Sheeza Fling (Nikki Olzard) ran second with Determination (McKenzie Apel) third. “I did not know the race was added to the program until someone told me,”” Bourke said. “Lucky, they did.” Bourke said Kai Mondo will now go for a break in the paddock before being prepared for a return during the Rockhampton Cup Carnival.

SHORT PRICED FAVOURITE SCORES LAST STRIDE WIN

After standing flat-footed at the start, the odds-on favourite Sir Grace arrived just in time to win the TAB BM72 Handicap (1400m) at Callaghan Park.

Trained and ridden by Warwick Satherley, Sir Grace posted its sixth win from 11 race starts with a head victory over the front-running Get What You Give (McKenzie Aprl) with American President (Damien Boutet) only a short head away in third place. Punters who took the short odds would have had their hearts in their mouth when Give What You Get was still two lengths in front at the 100m pole. Satherley worked on Sir Grace to reel in the leader and in the last fifty metres he powered to the line to score in the final stride. American President ran a huge race at odds.

The New Zealand-bred Sir Grace is raced by Satherley’s partner Joanna Andersen and his sister Susan.

THANGOOL MARE SCORES THIRD WIN FOR THE YEAR AT BOLTERS ODDS

Lady Townson was the horse the bookies least expected to win the BM58 Handicap (1600m) but the underrated mare posted her third win for the year, after a clever Nikki Olzard ride. The rank outsider of the field trained at Thangool by Damien Rideout was put on the rails by Olzard and travelled sweetly behind the leaders. Boyfriend Material hit the lead in the straight but was under siege in the run to the winning post. Olzard had to work to find a run on Lady Townson and when the 5YO saw daylight she motored to the line to win by half a length from Moment Of Truth (Liv O’Donnell) with Boyfriend Material (McKenzie Apel) in third place less than a length from the winner. Jade Rideout, Damien’s wife saddled the winner and was full of praise for Olzard. “Amy Meissner does a terrific job riding the mare in all her trackwork, and she told Nikki to talk to her during the race,” Rideout said. “That kept her settled and it was a good ride.” Lady Townson won at Thangool in January and February but blemished her copy-book form when unplaced at Gatton late last month.

STENHOUSE ON A WINNING RUN

Latin Love has provided trainer Rob Stenhouse and his wife Karen with two victories this week, taking out the Class 1 Handicap (1400m).

The chestnut mare won on Monday in Mackay and backed up at Callaghan Park today for its second career win. “She did so well after the Mackay race, I thought I’d send her around again,” Rob Stenhouse said.

The trainer saddled his first Callaghan Park winner, Désprit last week and has been on a winning roll since, with three winners from just four starters in eight days.

“There’s only two in work, plus Karen has Miss Elotan, which runs on Tuesday, so hopefully the luck stays with us,” he said. Ridden by Gabrielle Semmens, Latin Love ($15.00) won in a tight three-way finish, and defeated Age Of Aquarius (Tasha Chambers) with Mr Grey in third place. The favourite Run Away Renee led, but tired, to run fourth.

OFFANGO OFF TO A GOOD START WITH A QTIS VICTORY

A big cheer went up when Offango held a narrow margin over the fast-finishing favourite Diligente to win Callaghan Park’s QTIS Maiden Plate (1400m).

The Tom Smith-trained 3YO ridden by Jackson Murphy, scrambled in by a half head over Clinton Taylor’s Diligente (Raul Silvera Olivera) who was in front half a strode past the post. Pride of Savabella (Gabrielle Semmens) ran third less than a length from the winner with the well supported Super Talon finishing fourth, right on the placed horses heels. By Better Than Ready, Offango had run five minor placings before posting its first win. Matt Adams, who shares in Offango’s ownership purchased the galloper as a yearling at the 2023 Gold Coast March Sale for $27,000. With the victory at Callaghan Park she has now doubled her purchase price.

By David Aldred CEO – RJC