St Patrick’s Day Open Handicap has strong line-up.

Some of Rocky’s best and most promising gallopers will tackle Saturday’s Masot ‘St Patrick’s Day’ Open Handicap (1050m) at Callaghan Park and you may need a lucky shamrock to pick the winner.

Last season’s Horse of the Year, Dragon Snip is back from an injury enforced layoff and looks ready to fire first up for local trainer Sileas Green. To be ridden by apprentice Nikki Olzard, Dragon Snip lost its rider in a race at Thangool last September and hasn’t raced since. Before that he was on a winner’s route with a string of successive victories at Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Dingo and Springsure. He has also looked good on the track at Callaghan Park recently. The 4YO has won seven of its 19 starts. The Nick Walsh trained Hell is also another prolific winner. Hell, to be ridden by apprentice Liv O’Donnell, looked super impressive last campaign putting together win after win in Townsville, Rockhampton, Doomben and Eagle Farm. The only blemish to his form was at his last start at Eagle Farm in December where he ran unplaced on a Heavy track. Hell’s stablemate Letmeletgo also returned to winning form at Callaghan Park last month, beating Fine Shot and Doubting Eye in a 1200m Handicap. Eight-year-old Mocambo from Fred Smith’s stable, looked like he had discovered the fountain of youth last spring winning successive country races including big victories at Emerald and Gladstone during the rich Country qualifying series. He finished eight of 14 in the Final; over 1630m at Eagle Farm on a Heavy track, 30 November. Mocambo resumes with Chris McIver to ride. Winning combination trainer Jamie McConachy and jockey Raul Silvera Olivera team up again in this race with Sunnycoast. The team was successful at Callaghan Park and Mackay’s Ooralea last November. Sunnycoast has since won at Mackay in January when ridden by Justin Stanley.]

JAPANESE BRED GELDING MAKES ROCKY DEBUT

Beautifully bred Japanese gelding Daimyo, now calls Rockhampton home but he has covered plenty of territory before making his way north.

Starting his journey with champion trainer Ciaron Maher at Donald in Victoria three years ago, it took 15 attempts for Daimyo to win a race. His initial success was in Grafton last year, where he was trained by Dwayne Schmidt to score a commanding victory over 1000m. In September, Daimyo posted a second win for Schmidt in a Grafton Class 1 (1000m).

Daimyo has seen plenty of countryside on his journey, racing on 11 different tracks in three states and his Rocky trainer Nick Walsh is hopeful that he can excel in Central Queensland.

The Lord Kanaloa – Tosen Proud 5YO will be ridden by apprentice Liv O’Donnell in the BM60 (1050m) at Callaghan Park’s big St Patrick’s Day race meeting.

From gate two the speedster is bound to give a great sight going on his first-up second place in Mackay in a similar race last month.

Daimyo’s sire Lord Kanaloa is a Group 1 winner in Japan and is the sire of Japanese super horse Almond Eye as well as Blue Diamond Stakes winner and promising sire Tagaloa, and his dam Tosen Proud is a full sister to dual Group 1 winner Brave Smash. Now the sire of Group race winners, Brave Smash won the Group1 Manikato Stakes and Futurity Stakes and was placed in two Newmarket Handicaps.

ROCKY TRIO RUN FOR HALF MILLION IN 3YO QTIS JEWEL

Astapor, Scrub Chain and Better Than Words will fly the flag for Rockhampton in Saturday’s  3YO QTIS Jewel (1200m)  at Aquis Park Gold Coast and the trio are drawn together in wide barriers for the half million race.

The Clinton Taylor-trained Astapor to be ridden by Justin Stanley has drawn barrier 16, Tom Smith’s Scrub Chain (Tahlia Fenlon – 17) and John Wigginton’s Better Than Words (Angela Jones – 18). With 16 horses to start the three locals could not have drawn much worse. All three go into the race with great form. Astapor was a last start runner up to Dream Smart in a Jewel Prelude (1100m) at Doomben, Scrub Chain who has won half of his races to date, including his last four in a row will bounce off its great Rocky QTIS Jewel qualifying win defeating recent Mackay winner Power of Katie over 1100m at Callaghan Park on 14 February and Better Than Words won in Rockhampton and Townsville either side of her third placing behind Scrub Chain. The filly was an easy winner at Cluden over 1200m on 20 February to win its way into this race.

CHINNY BOOM RESUMES IN MILITARY ROSE PLATE

Berserker trainer Clinton Taylor is hoping he has a big day at the Gold Coast with his star mare Chinny Boom attempting to win back-to-back $125,000 Military Rose (1100m) Plates at Aquis Park.

Back in Rockhampton after a couple of disappointing runs in the south, Chinny Boom will have her first race since October. The mare has been working and trialling well at Callaghan Park and to the eye looks tougher and stronger than she did last preparation. She has won her two recent local trials by an accumulative margin of 12.5 lengths. After winning the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm last June, Chinny Boom had three unplaced runs, one at Doomben and two at Caulfield when prepared by Peter Moody. Five-year-old Chinny Boom who has drawn a wide gate (15) at the Gold Coast  has already won almost $685,000 in prizemoney. Taylor will also produce smart mare Divine Purpose in the first at the Gold Coast, the Vale Larry Klinge BM70 (1700m). Divine Purpose who also spent a campaign with Moody, has been good since returning to Rockhampton. At her last start, her second from a break, Divine Purpose, a 2021 Capricornia Yearling Sale graduate, won a C4 (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast. Justin Stanley will ride both of Taylor’s gallopers.

WALSH TAKES A SHOT AT GOLD

Callaghan Park’s Nick Walsh will saddle smart galloper Fine Shot in the $150,000 Gold Jewel (1400m) at the big Gold Coast meeting and he has booked Ron Stewart for the ride.

Fine Shot, a five-time winner by Speith, was runner up in Rockhampton at its most recent start and beaten just two lengths in a BM80 at Eagle Farm at its previous start. He has been a frustrating horse for punters to follow but on his day, he is super smart and looks nicely placed in this race. Walsh and his group of local connections headed by Greg Diplock would also be pleased with the barrier draw at gate 5.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.