Picture this; the year is 2005 - late in the year - Makybe Diva has just won her third Melbourne Cup and the nation is in a state of euphoria.
Now fast-track past Black Caviar's unbeaten record, Redzel's second TAB Everest, Winx's fourth Cox Plate and snap back to reality.
You know what you're in?
Amateur hour! That's it.
Back to the present, and, BOOM - it's Cup week.
Caulfield? No.
Melbourne? No.
...Doomben? Absolutely fkn not.
A two day carnival showcasing Australia's best sprinters and milers; the Rockhampton Newmarket and Rockhampton Cup is set to be run and won once again.
On Friday, the $100,000 The Real Group Newmarket Handicap will be run over the famous 1300m course at Callaghan Park, and with 13 quality sprinters set to do battle, we are in for a brilliant spectacle, with champion sprinter Mater Jamie looking to return to the winner's stall after a failed Stradbroke Handicap campaign, while the in-form Last Chance will hope to keep his winning ways in tact in a bid to fend off southern raiders Stampe, Valario, Macewen, Prioritise and Really Discreet, as well as the Battle of the Bush Final winner, Rather Salubrious, and last year's winner, Doctor Zous for the powerful Darryl Hansen stable.
So Mugs, are you not entertained?????
Well, if you're not, have a Rocky Newmarket Runner-By-Runner Guide to get you through your Friday arv.
With speed drawn all over the park, Master Jamie will make his presence felt early from the marble, while the likes of Really Discreet for the TJ Gollan yard, outsider Kievann, eight-year-old Langhro, 2020 winner Doctor Zous, and Only Wanna Sing from the Lakes Creek Road draw will look to add plenty of speed into the $100k feature. There can only be one winner, so let's get our Rocky boy into the nitty gritty of it because after all, Rocky Form is Best Form.
1. Last Chance (13) | T: Olivia Cairns | J: Ash Butler 58kg
The five-year-old gelding comes into the Newmarket off a win in the main lead-up race, the Tatts Spint a fortnight ago, where he carried 63kg to a quarter length victory. Down 5kg, the in-form gelding gets a high-pressure sprint to suit, at a track he has never missed the placings at from 10 starts. He will have to overcome the wide alley, but with a senior rider on board, he has to be considered.
2. Master Jamie (1) | T: Graeme Green | J: Chris Whiteley 58kg
Local sprinter Master Jamie has picked up a bit of a reputation for being no good of late, but for a Rockhampton-based sprinter to firstly win his way into a Stradbroke Handicap field just four weeks ago, as well as place at Listed level on multiple occasions puts this four-year-old gelding in very good stead ahead of his hometown feature race. The son of Poet's Voice has won nine from 13 on his home deck and drops 7kg off his last start fifth in the Tatts Sprint when 2.25L off Last Chance. He will do no work from the inside alley and should get every chance with Chris Whiteley doing the steering.
3. Langhro (9) | T: Georgie Holt | J: Les Tilley 57.5kg
Langhro was super 12 months ago when he finished runner-up in both the Cleveland Bay and Cairns Newmarket behind Deadly Choices and The Harrovian respectively, so that form is bound to stand up. After a solid Summer campaign resulting in a couple of wins at North Queensland tracks, the son of Lonhro returned on June 24th with a half-length defeat to Full Recognition at Townsville under 64.5kg. While he is likely to push forward from barrier nine, the eight-year-old will eat up the pressure of the Newmarket and should relish losing 7kg off his back.
4. Stampe (4) | T: Chris Munce | J: Justin Huxtable 57.5kg
Baller is absolutely flying for King Gollan, so a 6.5L defeat to that galloper at Eagle Farm in Group 2 company 5-weeks ago is probably superior to a lot of these. Good friend of the Mugs, Muncey sends north his quality four-year-old Stampe in a bid to nab some of the hard-earned coin from those CQ citizens, but we won't be too upset if he does - spoiler alert; sorry Mugs, but we couldn't hold on. Huxy has a great book of ride over the weekend, and this looks the pick of them, and given the ideal barrier (4), he should absorb all of the pressure from the box seat and eat up the long straight at Rocky. He's the one they have to beat.
5. Doctor Zous (12) | T: Darryl Hansen | J: Noel Callow 56.5kg
Wind the clock back 12 months and Doctor Zous was careering away with the Newmarket trophy as Lloydy stood there with his face in his palms, wondering how Master Jamie didn't win - but, 12 months later, the five-year-old rises 1.5kg and goes from barrier 3 to barrier 12 which can only lessen his chances. While the consistent gelding will get back from the alley and be storming home late, he looks better suited to the Mackay Newmarket this time around.
*Live on-course scenes as Master Jamie fades and Spring Creek runs fourth (Lloydy's place bet saver at any old price) in the 2020 Rocky Newmarket.
6. Macewen (3) | T: Tony Gollan | J: Ryan Maloney 56.5kg
While we prefer to associate King Gollan to winning Group Ones in Brissy, the Queenslander within hasn't been lost over the years, with Gollan winning a Rocky Cup a few years back with Silvera in these very colours. Macewen is his Newmarket hope this year, and while the five-year-old has not really fired a shot in any of his three runs back this time in, a three-length defeat in the Eye Liner always has to be respected, With plenty of tempo to set it up for Macewen, Ryan Maloney will be hoping to make sure his trip to the Beef Capital is worthwhile.
7. Prioritise (8) | T: Steve Tregea | J: Ryan Wiggins 55.5kg
It has been a fair while between drinks for this seven-year-old gelding, and while Prioritise has a good affinity with our man Wiggo, his first-up run was plain. Hopefully the gun hoop can go back-to-back in Saturday's Rocky Cup, because we think he might struggle to beat the ambulance home in this.
8. Only Wanna Sing (15) | T: Jared Wehlow | J: Ben Thompson 54.5kg
Ben Thompson is probably the most in-form jockey in Queensland at the moment, and had Only Wanna Sing not drawn the carpark, he would be on one of the leading chances. The five-year-old gelding has won 8 from 14 since he has been in North Queensland, and comes off a nice fourth under a big weight behind Last Chance and The Tax Accountant at his most recent start on April 10. A recent trial will have him forward enough to be competitive fresh on a track that he has won five from six on. He is one of the better roughies in the race.
9. Roman Aureus (11) | T: Brian Wakefield | J: TBA 54.5kg
Has absolute ZERO (0) chance. Like none whatsoever.
Oh, it's scratched. So, number 10...
10. Valario (2) | T: Natalie McCall | J: Michael Hellyer 54kg
The Sunny Coast galloper ran on strongly in the Tatts Sprint a fortnight ago to finish third and loses 5.5kg which puts him right in this. The son of Not A Single Doubt was beaten by 7L first-up at Headquarters to Genzai The Wolf, Dr Why Not and Superium which is form that has been franked over the Winter Carnival, so at the $17 he has to be considered. McCall has a good record at Rocky, and the Michael HELLLL-YERRRR can ride! Good gate, good odds, good each-way bet.
11. Rather Salubrious (6) | T: David Reynolds | J: Wendy Peel 54kg
Heard of this one before? That's because Bean hasn't shut up about tipping her in the Battle of the Bush Final at Eagle Farm a fortnight ago. The Dalby-based mare comes into the Rocky feature chasing a hattrick of wins, including her BOTB win and and a time-honoured Handicap at the racing capital of the world, Goondiwindi, on May 29th. Drawn well in gate six, Wendy Peel will have her in a good position as they straighten, and if she delivers a similar finish to her last start run, she will be thereabouts. Not in our numbers - we can't have them all - but she isn't the worst bet.
12. Daunting Queen (10) | T: Mary Hassam | J: Matthew McGillivray 54kg
A lot of good things have come from Bundaberg; sugar, Rocky Cup winner Victory Hotel, this mare, Daunting Queen, and of course, mother's milk/black rats/Rumbertos/Bundaberg Rum. Personally, a 10 out of 10.
What's that?
Huh, this isn't Google Reviews??
Riiight.
So back to Daunting Queen...
The mare loves racing at Callaghan Park just as much as I love a rumbo, and after a tough win here on April 9 over a mile, the Hassam-trained mare comes into the Newmarket fresh and ready to perform. The bottom weight will assist her chances, but she is better suited to an easier race.
13. Kievann (7) | T: Lauren Abbott | J: Lauren Abbott 54kg
If Lauren Abbott doesn't follow Lauren Abbott's instructions, Lauren Abbott may never book Lauren Abbott to ride one of her horses again. The ten-year-old is worthy of some sort of pensioner's discount or headstart, and that may not even help. No doubt Lauren Abbott tells Lauren Abbott to take the old-timer forward and try to run them into the ground.
Lauren Abbott giving pre-race instructions to Lauren Abbott.
14. Really Discreet (5) | T: Tony Gollan | J: Samantha Collett 54kg
TJ has two live chances in the race, with his best of those being race favourite, Really Discreet. The four-year-old mare ran a bottler when fifth in the Eye Liner last start when less than a length off Snitch, and absolutely donkey-licked her rivals over 1350m at Doomben the start prior. Drawn ideally for Collett from barrier five, the Kiwi hoop should have the in-form daughter of Helmet in a great spot as they come into the final 200m. As long as she doesn't get lost in the straight, she is right in the finish and a deserving favourite.
15. Finucane Missile (14) | T: Clinton Taylor | J: TBA 54kg
SCRATCHED
Selections:
4. Stampe - 1. Last Chance - 14. Really Discreet - 2. Master Jamie
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