TAB CYS Raceday Review: Callaghan Park Sunday 12th April, 2026

Birchley goes back-to-back in Capricornia 2YO Classic

Sunshine Coast trainer Liam Birchley picked out the winner of the $168,000 TAB Capricornia Classic QTIS (1200m) at Callaghan Park, four months before it went under the auctioneer’s hammer.

Birchley viewed the yearling offered for sale last year by Ellay Bloodstock, in a paddock before he knew which sale it was being sold at.

Part-owner Ric McIntosh said he thought it was in the wrong sale when it was entered into the CYS sale at the Rockhampton Showground last year.

“He immediately said that’s my Rocky Sale race horse, I’m buying him so decide if you want to be in him,” McIntosh said. The Victorian Queensland Project, bought the Dracary’s -Tay Swift colt for $60,000. And what a buy he has turned out to be. Last month Swift Dragon also won the $500,000 QTIS Jewel for 2YOs at the Gold Coast.

The $1.35 favourite was ridden a treat by Ryan Wiggins to win the 2YO Classic in a breeze by 3-1/4 lengths from Townsville’s Better Blitzem (Aiden Holt $4.40) with Coal Seam (Justin Stanley – $18) close in third place. Dub Stepping finished fourth.

It was the second successive year that Birchley has won the 2YO Classic. Last year he won the big race with Kerzner for a similar group of owners. Kerzner now races in Hong Kong as Quantum Cloud.

Beak’s celebrate 3&4YO Classic win

Former jockey Ely Beak probably set some kind of record at Callaghan Park when she won the Capricornia 3&4YO Classic for the first time as an owner with her grey gelding Kohler Kid.

Beak who then rode as Ely Smith rode the winner of the 2021 Capricornia 3&4YO Classic on Natural Emperor for Tom Smith.

Today she was in the winner’s circle with her husband Jesse and Grandmother Val Beak.

Jesse bred Kohler Kid and put the yearling though the CYS at the Showgrounds two years ago, buying the youngster back.

Deagon’s Mick Lakey trained Kohler Kid and the gelding was ridden by Justin Stanley who scored his first win since his nine-month enforced injury lay-off.

They were all real feel-good stories after the race.

Ï’m so happy to have the monkey off my back,” Stanley said. “”It’s my first win since I have returned after the shoulder surgery and my first day back at Callaghan Park,” he said. Ï love this horse, I really wanted to ride him and that why I planned my return today, Mick has done a fantastic job with him.”

Kohler Kid (Spieth -Tartufo Bianco) has now won two races and placed twice from six starts. His previous victory was in a Maiden at Eagle Farm.

Will Lakey praised his father Mick for a great training effort and he said he tipped the horse to anyone who wanted to listen.

Starting at $3.40, Kohler Kid won by 5 lengths from Kobaystar (Aiden Holt). Autum Gale (Chris McIver) finished in third place.

A nose separates brother and sister in Mayor’s Cup

It was a rib-tickler of a finish in the 2026 edition of the Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor’s Cup (1200m) at Callaghan Park.

A nose split first and second placegetters Pride Of Venus and Letmeletgo.

Pride Of Venus is trained by Clint Taylor and Letmeletgo by his sister Alisha.

Even race caller Russell Leonard couldn’t separate the duo who charged the line together with Pride Of Venus getting through on the inside of Letmeletgo to grab victory in the final stride.

Ridden by apprentice Nikki Olzard, Pride Of Venus started at $3.20. Runner-up Letmeletgo (Leah Martyn-$9) and third placed Astra Star (Sean Cormack -$3.40).

Four-year-old Mare Pride Of Venus has now won its past two Rockhampton starts and took its career wins to seven.

Mayor Tony Williams was at Callaghan Park both Saturday and Sunday and presented the trophy to the winning connections. The RCC has committed to sponsoring the Mayors Cup for the next three years.

Sunny Coast apprentice jockey didn’t mind races being held over

Apprentice jockey Leah Martyn has only ridden a couple of winning trebles in her career so far, but today at Callaghan Park it was the first time she rode a treble for the Taylor family.

Two of her wins were for her boss, Sunshine Coast trainer Garnett Taylor and the other was for Garnett’s daughter, Rockhampton’s Alisha Taylor.

Taylor and Martyn started the day with a feature race winner then double up just over a half hour later to notch their second win for the day.

Former Victorian galloper Neverenoughlego made its Queensland debut for Taylor, who also owns the three-year-old, winning the feature Len Milner Memorial Maiden Plate (1050m). Having its first race start since running third in a Maiden at Kilmore, Neverenoughlego won by 4-1/2 lengths from the odds-on  favourite Zousain’s Choice (Fred Larson) with debutante Readyette (Chris McIver) a couple of lengths away in third.

By the Group 1 Golden Rose winner Ole Kirk, from the six time winner Excessabeel, Neverenoughlego is exceptionally well bred, and Taylors thinks there are more wins in store for the gelding.

Taylor and Martyn’s second winner was Scialla, a 3YO filly by Spieth, having its second race start in the Brisbane Hotels Group Maiden (1200m). Ridden patiently by Martyn, Scialla won by almost a length from Clinton Taylor’s Pulsating (Nikki Olzard) with Sport (Raul Silvera Olivera) a length away in third place.

With an hour and a half of the early start meeting done, Martyn racked up her treble on the Alisha Taylor trained Sailor’s Rum, raced by the One Syndications ownership Group managed by Brandon Diplock.

A popular result for punters, Sailor’s Rum went back-to-back at Callaghan Park starts this preparation winning the Rocky Mini Loads BM65 (1050m). The big chestnut Merchant Navy was beaten in Mackay earlier this month but on its home track, bounced back for a commanding 2-1/2 length success. The win was Sailor’s Rum’s fourth for its big syndicate of owners. Pretty Slick (Ryan Wiggins) finished second with Our Eagle Rock (Nikki Olzard) third.

The Simpson’s get a win before the CYS Sale at the Showgrounds

Adam and Dallas worked for some of the most successful trainers around Australia, before taking out their own trainers’ license’s and running a successful training business on the Sunshine Coast. They specialise in breaking-in horses, pre-training and race work as well as general horsemanship.

Adam saddled up Inca Trail today, a rehabilitated 5YO galloper for its third career ‘win in the Allenstown Square Meats C3 Handicap (1400m).

Ridden by Morgan Butler, who flew in the morning of the race, to replace Amy Graham who was booked to ride him on Saturday,

“It helps when you know the horse,” Butler said. He was on board the gelding in December when he ran second at Kilcoy.

“I spent a thousand dollars to fly Morgan up here at late notice when my rider went home yesterday, but the win makes it all worthwhile.

Inca Trail started at odds of $5 and defeated the $1.35 Clinton Taylor-trained favourite Smart Mission (Sean Cormack) by ¾ length with with Tymon (Aiden Holt) a couple of lengths away in third place. A graduate of the Magic Million 2022 (book 2) sale, the son of Menari, Inca Trail had issues as a young horse and found his way to Simpson’s stable.

The Simpson put in a big day in Rockhampton, selling yearlings at the Rockhampton Showgrounds Capricornia Yearling Sale after the race day at Callaghan Park concluded.

Hay and Cormack win the last

Rodney Hay could have another smart galloper in Lonergy, the winner of The Phil Peel Jewelers BM55 Handicap (1200m) on his hands.

Hay, who trains at Chinchilla, saddled Lonergy with Sean Cormack the rider.

Cormack said the horse gave him such a good feel. “When I was taking the horse to the starting gate, I was thinking this horse is too good to be running here, he feels, like a real top horse, he is a lovely mover,” Cormack said.

The Lonhro gelding won its sixth race at odds of $14 defeating Clinton Taylor stablemates Ten Carat Lucy (Ryan Wiggins) and Little Pinker (Nikki Olzard).

• David Aldred CEO