That’s a wrap on all the Valentine’s Day action at Callaghan Park.

PLENTY OF LOVE FOR BIRTHDAY BOY TOM SMITH AT CALLAGHAN PARK

A huge cheer rung through the member’s stand at Callaghan Park when Scrub Chain posted its fourth consecutive win to take out the Capricornia Yearling Sale QTIS Jewel Qualifier (1100m) at Callaghan Park.

Trainer Tom Smith celebrated his 24^th birthday and together with Scrub Chain’s owners Stewart Nobbs and John Howard they are now in with a chance to chase another QTIS Jewel  at the Gold Coast next month. ‘

By winning Scrub Chain is an automatic qualifier for the $500,000 Jewel. Smith, Nobbs and Howard have a great record in making QTIS Jewel finals and they have gone close to winning it a couple of times.

Ridden by Tahlia Fenlon, Scrub Chain who eased in the betting to start at the juicy odds of $7 came with an almighty run to overhaul the John Wigginton-trained Power Of Katie (Warwick Satherley -$4.20) and win by almost a length.

Tom Bourke’s $151 longshot Kai Mondo (McKenzie Apel) gave a huge sight to run third just over a length from the winner. Run Away Renee finished fourth ahead of the $3.90 race favourite Better Than Words.

It was a polished ride by Fenlon and Scrub Chain clocked a new class record of 61.27 for the 1100m to better Princess Rules previous best set four years ago. “That win was so sweet because we beat the cream of the locals today,” part-owner Howard said. Scrub Chain was a $8,000 bargain for Nobbs and Howard at the Gold Coast Magic Millions March Sale in 2023. His win was a great advertisement for next month’s sale with over 340 yearlings to be auctioned at the GC Sale Complex on 10 and 11 March. One thing is certain if Scrub Chain happens to win the Jewel, the Gold Coast party will be bigger than Tom Smith’s birthday celebrations – and that’s big!

VALENTINES DAY ANNIVERSARY WIN FOR MR & MRS YEATS

Sixty-one years ago, Helen and Tony Yeats met on Valentines Day at the Kedron Park Teacher’s College Welcome Dance held at Brisbane’s Cloudland Ballroom, so it was fitting that they celebrated their union with a victory at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park with their potential carnival horse Desert Koby.

The Yeats make regular treks from the south to Rockhampton to watch the horses that they breed race. Jamie McConachy saddled up their winner, Desert Koby, on the special occasion, in The CYS & Races Open Handicap (1100m). A 4YO gelding by Kobayashi from the Yeats’ Telesto mare Desertsunprincess, Desert Koby was heavily backed to win the race starting a $1.30 favourite and won like a good thing should. Ridden by Sean Cormack, Desert Koby had more than four lengths to spare over Doubting Eye (Warwick Satherley) with Johnny Dash (Nikki Olzard) 6.7 lengths away in third place. The strapping gelding’s winning time was fractionally outside dual Rockhampton Cup winner Master Jamie’s class record for the distance. McConachy who took over Desert Koby’s training when Master Jamie’s trainer Grame Green retired said Desert Koby has carnival potential. “A Newmarket Handicap in Mackay or even a Cleveland Bay Handicap in Townsville could be right up his alley,” McConachy said. “We may not do a lot more with him before then, he will go to the paddock and fresh up for the better races later on.” Desert Koby has had 12 starts for six wins. In his two wins this year at Callaghan Park, he has had Cormack in the saddle.

NUT FARMER’S DIDDLEY GETS BACK TO WINNING FORM

Twelve months after what could have been a career ending injury four-year-old gelding Diddley Squat bounced back to the winners’ circle at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park on Friday winning the Happy Valentine’s Day Class 4 Handicap (1200m).

But the connections hearts were pumping as the fancied runner had to fight for a narrow result. It was close and a satisfying win by the gelding who literally climbed back off the canvas in the past year after breaking its pelvis. Raced by macadamia farmer Shannon Steinhardt and his partner Tenille Sheridan, Diddley Squat has had to walk a long road back to to winning again. After newly acquired Diddley Squat sustained an injury that would end most galloper’s racing careers, Steinhardt nursed Diddley Squat back to health before contacting Berserker trainer Clinton Taylor to see if he would take the horse on as an addition to his Rockhampton team. “He’s been back in work since September and Clint’s just taken him along quietly to get us to this point,” Steinhardt said. Diddley Squat was ridden by Olivia Kendal, the $1.50 favourite just got home in a photo finish.  He defeated the front running Rubunkar (Adam Sewell) by a short head with Growl (Brooke Johnson) in third place. The Mikki Isle four-year-old’s previous two runs for Taylor resulted in minor placings over shorter distances. “Both Clint and the stable’s number one jockey Justin Stanley were certain the horse would perform best at 1200m and they were right,” Steinhardt said. Before coming to Queensland Diddley won two races in Victoria, at Warrnambool, Cranbourne and Ballarat. He had one run in Brisbane at Eagle Farm when Steinhardt first got him and that’s when disaster struck. He tailed the field home almost 70 lengths from the winner. When connections got their horse home, they had him vetted and scanned with the diagnosis a broken pelvis. Originally a $40,000 yearling, Diddly Squat was bought online off a bloodstock site after Steinhardt watched the galloper finish a nice fourth at Seymour in January last year. Steinhardt said the rising handicap weight will be the biggest issue for Diddley Squat as he progresses through the grades.

DRINKS ARE ON JOHNSTON ON A HOT ROCKY AFTERNOON

It’s one of most Australian’s favourite things to do, Krackacan, especially on a hot summer day in Rockhampton.

Friday afternoon was hot and humid in Rocky and Krackacan delivered winning the aptly named Great Northern QTIS 2YO Maiden Handicap (1050m) at Callaghan Park on Friday.

The victory was a bit of a surprise by the race debutante who jumped at odds of $17 in the small field, despite the gelding finishing a good third behind Milk Maid and Desarae Doll in a Callaghan Park 900m trial on Monday.

Bred trained and part-owned by Darryl Johnston, Krakacan, ridden by apprentice McKenzie Apel got a photo decision over Our Eagle Rock (Nikki Olzard) with Desarae Doll (Georgina Cartwright) in third place. In a race of sensations, the $1.40 favourite Old Gold (Justin Stanley) put on a buck jumping exhibition shortly after the start and despite chasing and catching the field, he tired over the concluding stages and failed to figure in the finish.  Old Gold was Stanley only ride with the premier jockey dashing back to the airport after the race to fly back to Brisbane for his rides at the Sunshine Coast meeting.

Johnston bred Krackacan by the Fastnet Rock stallion Wanted from his former local race mare Lingalonga Lass, a winner of seven races including a few at Callaghan Park. Krackacan is raced by Johnston and a mate in Darwin, Peter Kopp.

FLY TRAP CATCHES A VICTORY

Owner Fred Noffke has been very patient with his three-year-old Trapeze Artist filly Fly Trap and was rewarded with a fast-finishing victory in the QTIS TAB Maiden Handicap (1200m). Trained by young gun Kris Hansen, Fly Trap was having its sixth race start and recorded its first victory in dashing style by almost a length and a half. Ridden By Tasha Chamber, Fly Trap ($4.60) motored down the centre of the track to win the Maiden easily from front-running debutante Remember The Boys (Warwick Satherley) with Super Talon (Chris McIver) in third place. Noffke said he was a little worried when Chambers had Fly Trap back near the tail on the fence. “I knew what I was doing,” Chambers quipped. Peeling around five others in a line in front of her Chambers steered Fly Trap to the centre and let the Filly do the rest. Beautifully bred from the Written Tycoon mare How to Fly, Fly Trap was a $14,000 buy at an Inglis Online Sale in April 2023.

SIR GRACE CONTINUES TO RULE

The Warwick Satherley trained, and ridden Sir Grace made the punter’s hearts sing on Valentine’s Day when he strolled home to an easy victory by more than five lengths in the Gold Coast Magic Millions March Sale BM75 Handicap (1500m).

Sir Grace continued his excellent record of five wins from 10 starts easily accounting for Get What You Give (McKenzie Apel) and Acrophobic. He was short in the betting starting at $1.55. Sir Grace began racing in Rockhampton in December 2023 and has been an ultra-consistent performer for Satherley’s partner Joanna Andersen and his sister Susan Satherley. He has won 50 percent of his races and placed on three other occasions. Dual -licensee Satherley has a long-range plan to start Sir Grace in the 2025 TAB Rockhampton Cup in July.

O’DONNELL SCORES ON DECIDUOUS

Trainer Kerrod Smyth was on cloud nine when Deciduous finally found the winners’stall at Callaghan Park in the Benchmark 65 handicap (1600m). The chestnut gelding who has been racing here since last July has been luckless at Callaghan Park. From five previous attempts he has found the place stall three times including finishing second at its past two local runs. Smyth heaped plenty of praise on his rider Liv O’Donnell who reduced the galloper’s weight by 3kg to 56kg. “I know I keep say it but put this girl on the right horse and she will win on it for you, she doesn’t get enough opportunities,” he said. O’Donnell steered Deciduous to a 2.47 length win over Astra Star (Sean Cormack) who gave a brave chase with another few lengths to Bold Smuggler (Ryan Wiggins) in third place. Formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Deciduous was bought online last may for $18,000.  Friday’s win was his second in Queensland with its previous win in Mackay last August.  He is by the former outstanding racehorse The Autumn Sun from the former Godolphin mare Bollywood.

TOOWOOMBA CHARMER MAKE TRIP WORTHWHILE

Olivia Kendal brought up a winning double steering the Dale Groves-trained Charmed Passage to victory in the Thommo’s Betta Home Living Class 1 (1100m).

Charmed Passage scored by almost two lengths from local Electric Brae (Nikki Olzard) with Sunshine Coast galloper Dream Step in third place. It was the second win from 12 starts for the Charmed Spirit gelding. His previous win was in July 2023 at Bairnsdale in Victoria. Charmed Passage was a $6,000 buy by Kristy Banks at an online Inglis Sale last November.

RJC CEO – David Aldred