Thursday 23rd January Racing Wrap Up.

MOMENT OF TRUTH SCORES HISTORICAL WIN

It was a walk in the park for short priced-favourite Moment of Truth, writing its name in the record books, winning the earliest TAB race ever run at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park on Thursday morning.

The Kerrod Smyth trained four-year-old mare won the Great Northern Maiden Handicap (1400m) run at 9.30 am, eclipsing the previous earliest morning race which was run at 10.30 am at Callaghan Park last year.

Given a peach of a ride by underrated apprentice jockey Liv O’Donnell, Moment of Truth was eased down to win by 3.75 lengths from Ain’t Nobody (Tash Chambers) with Send the Money (Nikki Olzard) in third place.

The RJC moved the races to an early morning start due to heatwave conditions with the temperature forecast to be around 40 degrees at the peak of the day. Races were scheduled 30 mins apart and all precautions taken to assist the welfare of horses and the participants.

“Liv O’Donnell is such a committed rider and a very good rider as well,” Smyth said. “She will turn around after the races and drive back into the night to be back in Toowoomba for trackwork tomorrow. She gets no assistance to be here, and she really is a credit to the industry.” By Tasmania stallion Needs Further from a Reset mare, Moment of Truth is bred to run over longer distances and relished the 1400 metres with O’Donnell box seating before peeling around the leader on the turn. The race was all over as soon as they straightened with Moment of Truth strolling away. A former Victorian Moment of Truth has had three starts in Rockhampton for two minor placings before her first win. She was bought by Smyth online in September for just $7,000. 

GROUP 1 JOCKEY SEAN CORMACK SCORES TREBLE OF WINS IN ROCKY

Sean Cormack a multiple Group 1 winning rider overseas ruled Callaghan Park racetrack riding the winners of three of the eight races decided on Thursday.

The winner of 80 Group or Listed races with 14 of those at Group 1 level during a career which spans international experience from South Africa to Singapore and now, Queensland, Cormack showed that he still has winning qualities in spades when he piloted Outback Bandit, Desert Koby and Acrophobic for a Callaghan Park treble of wins.

Outback Bandit was the South-East Queensland based rider’s first winner for the day. Outback Bandit was a cheap buy for former trainer Green. “He cost just $10,000 and I think he is quite a good horse,” the part-owner and former trainer Green said of the 3YO now trained by his other owner Will Johnston.

Outback bandit rolled favourite backers when he proved far too strong for the One Syndications-owned Fortress Australia (Ash Butler) in the Class 1 Handicap (1300m) at Callaghan Park. Green Racing bought Outback Bandit at the 2023 Magic Millions March Sale and to date he has had 9 starts for 2 wins and 3 placings.

It was a smart ride by jockey Cormack who waited his time before weaving a passage through the field to have the last shot at the leaders. Just when Fortress Australia looked like giving the Walsh stable a double, Outback Bandit burst through on the rails and won convincingly. Monday Choice (Tash Chambers) finished third.

Cormack’s second winner Desert Koby was ultra-impressive in winning the Benchmark 62 Handicap (1100m)s

Formerly with now retired Graeme Green, Dersert Koby is now prepared by Jamie McConachy and won his race by 4.75 lengths running the last 600m of the distance in sub-33 seconds. Cormack told McConachy he was impressed with the 4YO Kobayashi gelding’s performance. “He has a lovely rhythm and felt very comfortable the whole way,” he said.

Desert Koby ($1.50 fav) beat Impactfull Miss (Raul Silvera Olivera) with Vast Kama (Kelsey Lenton) surviving a protest from fourth placed Flying Maple to hold third place. Bred and raced by Helen Yeats, Desert Koby has managed to win 5 races from 11 starts in its career so far.

His third win gave Callaghan Park trainer McConachy a training double.

Acrophobic a $20 shot found his best form to win the Open Handicap (1400m). “He dropped back from 64.5kg and trialled well here recently, so he was probably over the odds he should have been,” McConachy said. With 57.5kg Acrophobic darted away from the more fancied Ella Te Ama (Kelsey Lenton) and third placed In Evidence (Ash Butler). The victory was Acrophobic’s sixth from 36 starts, and is raced by the Laurel Oak Sense of Hite Syndicate.

BUNDABERG BARGAIN GETS ITS FIRST VICTORY

Bundaberg filly Darling Clementine has promised so much getting in the money at her first three starts and at Callaghan Park, on Thursday, she converted that form with first race victory in the TAB QTIS 3YO Maiden Handicap (1300m).

Ridden by Olivia Kendal for owner-trainer Mary Hassam, Darling Clementine came with a late rush to win in a photo finish from a luckless Offango (Ash Butler) with Ice Blizzard (Justin Stanley) in third place. “She raced fantastic,” Kendal said. “Just settled and came into the race really nice.” The jockey told Hassam that the 3YO by Churchill from I Am Invincible mare, Broome, deserves a spell. “She’s earned it today,” the 2kg claiming apprentice said. First sold as a yearling for $26,000, Hassam picked up her bargain in late October buying the filly online for just $3,750. Her dam Broome was a $200,000 yearling at the Magic Millions Sale in 2015.

DISTANCE TEST ON THE CARDS FOR NONDISCLOSURE

A beaten favourite at his two previous Rockhampton starts, Nondisclosure redeemed himself with his first Central Queensland success in the Benchmark 60 Handicap (1600m).

Ridden by Ash Butler, the former Victorian by Dundeel was cheered home by One Syndications ownership Group and trainer Nick Walsh had a big smile on his face.

“He is solid now,” Walsh told Syndicate manager Brandon Diplock. Nondisclosure fought on bravely under his 61.5kg to hold out lightly weighted Biker (Raul Silvera Olivera) and win by a head, Roy’s Road (Georgina Cartwright) finished third. Walsh said he is now keen to test Nondisclosure over a longer journey. “We need to see his staying ability now,” he said. The galloper will likely target a Benchmark 70 race in Brisbane on 8 February which is programmed to be run over 2200m. Nondisclosure was purchased by One Sydnications online for $25,000. Three years ago he went through the Magic Millions Yearling Sale ring and was knocked down by the auctioneer for $210,000.

TOOWOOMBA GALLOPER A CONVINCING VICTOR

Toowoomba raider Connewarre was well supported to win the Class 3 Plate (1400m). Giving Olivia Kendal her second win for the day, Connewarre came with a strong run in the straight and was too good for Deciduous (Raul Silvera Olivera) with Astra Star (Jackson Murphy) filling the minors. “I had a lap full of horse when I turned the corner, then I just had to find the way home,” Kendal said. Once clear Connewarre had little difficulty in posting its fourth career win.  The $16,000 buy at the 2022 Magic Millions March Yearling Sales, the son of Whittington and Minya Mai has edged his earnings close to $100,000.

YEPPOON FILLY PUTS HER BEST FOOT FORWARD

Yeppoon trainer Allan Jenkinson has had to be patient with 3YO filly Amberinger but its starting to pay dividends. The Brabinger filly won its second race from 9 starts in the 0-55 Handicap (1100m) defeating Thunder Knob (Warwick Satherly) and More Stylish (Olivia Kendal). “She still doesn’t know what she is doing,” jockey Jackson Murphy said. A big filly Amberinger is learning her craft on the job and looks to be getting more tractable with each run. Her mother Charcoal Melody, also raced by Jenkinson, was a real handful of a horse in the stable. “This one is not as bad but we have to be patient, “Jenkinson said. Charcoal Melody won 14 races and over $174,000 for Jenkinson about 8 years ago.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.