Tattersall’s Gold Cup Raceday Review: Friday 19th June, 2026

Pepperdine stays on target for TAB Rockhampton Cup

Alisha Taylor is hoping Pepperdine is good enough to win the Rockhampton Cup in a few weeks after putting together back-to-back victories, taking out the $35,000 Tattersalls Gold Cup (1600m) at Callaghan Park on Friday.

Pepperdine signaled he is ready for next month’s feature with an all the way win under a great front-running ride by apprentice Leah Martyn. He started at $2.70 and won by more than two lengths from former Melbourne galloper Give Me Space (Nikki Olzard), who worked home nicely under its big weight, with the grey Divakara (Ron Stewart) in third place

With Martyn’s claim Pepperdine carried the same weight (52.5kg) in the Tatt’s Cup as he did to win his previous race over 1400m earlier this month.

“They just let him roll along on his own and when Leah let him stride, I knew they would not pick him up,” Taylor said.

Pepperdine held a four-length break approaching the halfway mark, before Martyn backed him off then asked him to sprint up the straight.

Taylor said her horse appreciated a bit of give in the surface. “It was quite firm the other day but the club has done well getting water into it,” she said.

Taylor is unsure what weight Pepperdine will be asked to carry in the Cup, but she has a ready-made safeguard in Martyn to reduce the steadier if she needs to.

“I didn’t know if it was really an apprentice’s horse, but I had to give it a try and Leah has won twice on him now,” Taylor said.

With a lifetime in the game, Taylor is still somewhat new to training, in her own right, but she is doing a fine job at the caper as well as riding her own work. She picked up the baton to train after her husband Jared Wehlow, stepped away from training. Her brother Clinton is Rockhampton’s premier trainer and her Dad, Garnett who trains on the Sunshine Coast, is a former leading Rocky trainer.

Taylor family double in Tatts Sprint

It was a Taylor family double in the Tattersalls features with Garnett Taylor winning the $35,000 Tattersall’s Sprint (1200m) with Bold Comic.

Taylor has a heap of respect for Bold Comic, who he named as a stable favourite. “He started off his career really well here in Rocky and Townsville and then he got Ross River fever,” Taylor said. “He’s done well to come back from that.” Bold Comic, raced by the Cleary family,  has now won six from 22 starts. Bold Comic ($4.80), ridden by Georgie Cartwright came with a well timed run to beat Pocket Full (Steph Tierney) by a half-length with Joy A Plenty (Dylan Turner) finishing a luckless third, beaten a length.

“We will be back for the Newmarket,” Taylor said. Ï love coming to Rocky to race and I will bring a half dozen or so along with this bloke to race.”

Bold Comic has an exceptional Rockhampton record with three wins and a second place at Callaghan Park. The son of Whittington should get in with a reasonably light weight in the Newmarket and is exempt from ballot.

Tierney wins on her Italian love

Sunshine Coast galloper Italian Riviera did his best work where it counted, at the finish of the 1300m The Peoples Cup in Rocky 10 July BM 70 Handicap.

The Stuart Kendrick trained galloper was ridden by Steph Tierney who commented that it was a welcome return to the winner’s list. Italian Riviera ($5.50) won by a neck from Inca Trail (Leah Martyn) with Ask Me Mate (Chris McIver) close in third place.

Tierney started off this year in cracking fashion, and the win put her back level pegging with local jockey Nikki Olzard in the local apprentice’s premiership race. Both have ridden 11 winners.

“He is my favourite horse, my big boy, I love him to death,” Tierney said.

The 4YO Stuart Kendrick-trained gelding by Shalaa has won five races from 18 starts.

Beck builds World Cup travel bank with 3YO winner

Trainer Aaron Beck contributed to his savings for a looming trip to Rotterdam for the World Cup Masters Hockey Series next month when three-year-old filly Next Legacy opened the Callaghan Park 10 race card with a victory in the great Northern QTIS 2YO Handicap (1400m).

Trainer Beck’s only runner for the day, Next Legacy posted its third Callaghan Park win and collected its sixth cheque at the track from 11 starts in Rockhampton.

“Well, that will help pay for my trip to The Netherlands in July,” Beck said with a grin after the win.

The World Cup field hockey for the Masters is on between 22 July and 1 August 2026 with the T1 andT2 Women and Men 35+ to 50+ playing at HC Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Beck is itching to pick up the stick and play.

He currently only trains a small team of thoroughbreds at Bajool, south of Rockhampton, and has a few nice young horses graduating through.

Next Legacy has been somewhat of a stable star with her earning now over $60,000.

In Friday’s race Next Legacy was ridden by Warwick Satherley and was well supported at $3.50. Satherley guided the King’s Legacy filly to a length and a half win over Turbo Torque (Georgina Cartwright) with Leica Flamingo (Chris McIver) leading but fading to third place.

Satherley bookends the program

Jockey Warwick Satherley partnered the first and last winners on the 10-race program with the Leonie Horstman-trained Underrated bringing him home in the 3 Weeks to TAB Rockhampton Cup BM60 (1200m).

Getting back to form Underrated is now a three-time winner from 13 starts.

The double boosted Satherley to the top of the local jockey premiership table with 17 winners for the season so far.

Underrated started at $5.00 and defeated the Sunshine Coast-trained Royal Gladiator (Jai Williams) by more than a length with Morocan Wind (Ron Stewart) I a nose away in third place.

Peter returns a profit on debut

Beaudesert trainer Jay Bellamy got on the semaphore board early in the day saddling race debutante Peter Profit to win the TAB QTIS 2YOMaiden Handicap (1100m).

Starting a hot favourite at $1.60, Peter Profit (Jaden Lloyd) defeated Nojonkmail (Branden Lerena) by one and a half lengths with Cinchicated (Steoph Tierney) in third place.

Bellamy trains 22 horses at his main horse owner Reg Flannery’s Beaudesert property. By Profiteer, Peter Profit shares the same name as the iconic 1970s pacing star, who used to race against the Bellamy family’s former top pacer Max Brydon. Peter Profit the pacer won 45 races, mainly at Albion Park and Bellamy is hoping his 2YO gelding can match that feat.

“That would be a big ask, for Pete,” the trainer said. Peter Profit won three barrier trials in the southeast before making its Rockhampton debut.

Butler praises Rocky track after Sunshine Coast gelding wins

Jockey Ash Butler praised the Callaghan Park track after winning on the Liam Birchley-trained gelding Jungle Rhythm in the Welcome Gold Club Members QTIS 2YO Maiden (1100m).

“This horse is very green, but he’s got ability, the track was perfect and perfect for him,” Butler said.

Ridden patiently the Liam Birchley-trained Jungle Rhythm ($6.10) improved on its first start second at the Sunshine Coast to take out the race. He defeated Power Of Angeline (Warwick Satherley) with a longshot Cipher Dash (Sophie Wilcock) in third place.

Jungle Rhythm was saddled up by Roy Thompson who often looks after Birchley’s horses when they come north.

“I couldn’t believe the price he started at, a Liam Birchley 2YO at those odds, when will they learn,” he said. Jungle Rhythm, by Jungle Cat from the Time Thief mare Annatime was a $20,000 purchase at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Book 2 Sale.

Jay Bellamy’s debutante was declared a non-starter in this race. The filly lost rider Jaden Lloyd out the back of the barrier stalls as the starter released the field. Stewards rule that Naughty Nanna was denied a fair start.

Smith gets a Maiden win with former Victorian filly

Two-Year-Old filly Astilla broke through for its first win at its fourth start in the Garrards Maiden Handicap (1050m).

Trained at Callaghan Park by Tom Smith, Astilla travelled beautifully in the van for jockey Amy Graham.

“She jumped well and travelled beautifully, and I was able to get to the front really easy,” Graham said.

Astilla, a daughter of Hanseatic had to fight for her win though. Runner up Musee Du Louvre trained by John Stephens and ridden by Warwick Satherley got mighty close to her at the finish. Capricornus (McKenzie Apel) was a length away in third place.  Astill is raced by a big group of owners headed up by Belroma Park’s manager Matt Adams.

Originally with trainer duo Michael and Sam Freedman in Melbourne Astilla started her career at Caulfield finishing sixth behind Almost An Angel, last November. She won two local trials before making her Rocky debut earlier this month

Billy a booming winner

Jamie McConachy trained Billy Boom for a popular victory in the Kenna’s Rating Band 0-55 Handicap (1050m).

Dylan Turner said the track raced beautifully as he dismounted the winner who displayed at a ton of courage to hold out the Darryl Hansen-trained chaser Spirtof The Ocean (Steph Tierney) by a half-length. Amy Graham steered Gladstone galloper King Of The Vibe into third place. Ironically before the victory was Billy Boom’s second from 14 starts. Billy Boom was formerly trained by Hansen before he sold him on to Bill Reid Racing. The four-year-old by Spirit Of Boom has now won around $60,000.

Longer distance is the key to Skilful Artist

The further they go the better he’ll be, trainer Alan Jones said after Skillful Artist registered a tradesman-like win in the Korte Group BM62 Handicap (1600m).

“He was looking for the mile and further,” Jones said. Having his 14^th start, Skilful Artist appreciated a genuine pace and the five-year-old finished the mile off nicely under jockey Chris McIver.

The $17.00 shot ground down the opposition to score by half a length over Bateman’s Bay (Ryan Wiggins) with the race pacesetter Chayse ‘N Leisa (Jaden Lloyd) a length away in third place. Skilful Artist’s previous win was over 1500 m and Jones is keen to test the galloper over an even longer journey. Jone bought Skilful Artist by Trapeze Artist for just $600 online last September. He cost $150,000 as a yearling when purchased by Kavanagh Racing in Adelaide in 2022. He is a half-brother to Saskatoon, a multiple race winner in South Australia who contested top class races a couple of years ago in Adelaide.

• David Aldred (CEO)