RQ announces new Thoroughbred region

Having implemented designated racing regions late last month, with the support and advice of Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young, Greater Western has been established to restrict movement from the Queensland coast to remote communities, with non-TAB meetings to be programmed to support the move. The new region will see racing held at Roma, Charleville, Longreach, Barcaldine, Mount Isa and Cloncurry.

The re-configured racing regions were implemented from Sunday, and include:

Having previously permitted jockeys to race across two non-metropolitan zones, they will now be restricted to their designated racing regions as is the case for all other licensed participants, including trainers and stable staff. Any licensed participant wanting to re-locate to an alternative racing region will be required to undertake a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period.

RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said the organisation was constantly reviewing its COVID-19 protocols and had established Greater Western as a designated racing region as a further precautionary measure. Subject to ongoing government and health advice, there will be no further changes to designated racing regions before a review on May 1.

"The Queensland racing industry has moved swiftly and efficiently to implement a range of biosecurity measures including patron-free meetings and designated racing regions. By establishing Greater Western, we're able to further isolate participant movement across the state," Mr Parnell said.

"This aligns with the Queensland government's latest protocols relating to the region and to ensure outback communities are being quarantined from the coast. It will also allow RQ to program a non-TAB calendar, which will provide additional economic and animal welfare benefits. On an annual basis, the Queensland outback generates more than $22 million in economic contribution and supports more than 2700 participants," he said.

In order to implement the new designated racing regions, the scheduled meeting at Emerald on April 25 has been postponed to May 2, while the Roma meeting on Saturday, May 2 will be replaced by a Longreach meeting on Sunday, May 3.

ROCKHAMPTON trainer Peter Fleming was the clear winner in the QTIS 2YO Trainers premiership in March after banking $38,250 for the month, with Steven O'Dea, Eagle Farm, collecting $28,000 and Les Ross, Eagle Farm, not far behind on $26,300.

Ross remains at the top of the 2YO Trainers' table for the season with $185,650 in QTIS bonus prize money and Robert Heathcote, Eagle Farm, is still second on $158, 500. The big mover was Peter Fleming, jumping from sixth to third after a great month that saw his total QTIS prize money total rise to $105,500.

Caloundra trainer Garnett Taylor had the best month for the 3YO QTIS trainers with $37,600 in bonus prize money ahead of Robert Heathcote on $33,700 and Steve Tregea, Toowoomba, was a nostril behind on $33,000.

The result sees Heathcote jump back into the lead on the 3YO Trainers' table for the season with $246,250. Tony Gollan, Eagle Farm, has been relegated into second place with $225,550 and Tony and Maddysen Sears, Toowoomba, remain in third spot with $146,100.

Spill The Beans juvenile, Tumbler Ridge (Steve O'Dea) was the leading 2YO in March after earning $28,000 in QTIS bonuses ahead of Rockhampton-based Sing For Violet (Peter Fleming) by Mahisara with $25,500 and Real Saga's Mishani Epic (Les Ross) was just $1000 behind him.

Top Echelon filly Lady Banff (Matt Dunn) remains the strongest performing QTIS 2YO for the season, with $84,000 in bonus prize money, followed by two Heathcote-trained Rothesay juveniles, Rothfire on $73,500 and Bellissimi Amici with $63,000.

Steve Tregea's gelding Command'n'Conquer by Warhead was the top QTIS 3YO in March, banking $33,000 ahead of Whittington's Bold Style (Garnet Taylor) with $26,800 and Jet Spur's Star of Michelin (Stuart Kendrick) won $24,500 to round out the top three.

There's been no change to the seasonal table for the 3YOs with Rothesay's Guntantes (Rob Heathcote) on $105,000 followed by Better Reflection (John Wiggington), by Better Than Ready with $94,500 and Gem Of Scotland (Rex Lipp) (also by Rothesay) remains in third with $84,000.

PRONOUNCING the name of 2YO filly Eelloh totally bamboozled Sky Racing form analysts Bernadette Cooper and Mike Maxworthy when she won a 1200m QTIS 2YO Maiden Plate on debut at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

It was up to successful Eagle Farm trainer Desleigh Forster to set them straight. "She's by Better Than Ready from Stream Of Light so the owners named her after the Electric Light Orchestra - Ee-ll-oh," Forster explained. "Well, we got that wrong!" Cooper responded.

Eelloh also bamboozled punters who let the first-start filly - well beaten in her only trial last November - jump at odds of 101-1!

Bred by Ian Steffen and offered through Raheen Stud at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast March yearling sale, Eelloh sold for $20,000 to Desleigh Forster and now joins the list of 58 winners of 104 races for her sire Better Than Ready from just two racing crops.

Eelloh was the first leg of a winning double for Forster with her second winner being 4YO gelding Red Chase who won a 1400m Benchmark 78 handicap. By dual listed winner Red Element - a brother to former Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy - Red Chase is the only foal to race from the four-times winning Al Maher mare Not To Share. In fact Not To Share was the first horse raced by Brisbane businessman Mike Sherrin who bought her for $30,000 at the 2010 Magic Millions Ready to Run 2YO sale at the Gold Coast. Red Chase now has four wins and six placings from 23 starts.

FORMER Victorian galloper Galea Warrior has continued a winning sequence that began at Winton in September last year and has now extended with a further three wins at Mount Isa - the latest occurring last Saturday with victory in a 1200m Open Plate.

A finalist in the 2018 Battle of the Bush final, the 6YO gelding is a first crop son of triple Group 1 winner Helmet from the winning Favorite Trick (USA) mare Meru Hill and cost $80,000 at the 2015 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale. Now trained locally by trainer Robert Burow, Galea Warrior had his first start in Queensland at the 2017 Birdsville races where he finished second after winning a solitary maiden at Donald in Victoria. All up, Galea Warrior has had 34 starts for 10 wins and 14 placings.

Burow trained the quinella with stablemate Try 'N' Run A Muck (G7 Pure Theatre/Gossip Maid) finishing one length behind in second place.

Burow was a boxing trainer for 25 years before he began training horses. "When I moved to Mount Isa there wasn't a lot to do on the weekends, so we ended up owning a horse or two and the trainer actually retired. After helping him out in the stables he said 'why don't you have a go?' So, I've been doing it ever since."

The other highlight on the Mount Isa eight-race program was a winning treble for Julia Creek owner/trainer Kerry Krogh. His three winners were Rock Tsar (1450m Benchmark 69 handicap), Caitlin Emily (1100m Maiden handicap) and Explosive Missile (1200m Benchmark 50 handicap).

THE win by Michael Costa Racing's 3YO gelding in a 1200m Maiden Plate by 4.8 lengths at Ipswich on Sunday continues the hot form of his sire Whittington based at Grandview Stud, Peak Crossing.

Firebox became his 16th individual winner of 22 races from 47 runners this season at a 34 per cent success rate while his prize money earnings are a whisker away from $800,000.

This places him second on the QTIS stallion in Second Season Sire Table for 2019/2020.

Bred by Patinack Farm, and sold at the 2012 Magic Millions yearling sale for $145,000, Whittington exploded onto the scene for trainer Gai Waterhouse in October 2012 winning the historic Listed Breeders Plate at Randwick by three lengths to join an elite group of winners such as Real Saga, Luskin Star, Baguette, Choisir, Charge Foward, Snitzel, Sebring and in most recent years Pierro, Smart Missile and Vancouver.

The Breeders Plate is an established 'Stallion Maker' race and Whittington then boosted his stud value with a hard fought second placing in the Canonbury Stakes before taking out the Lonhro Plate. Whittington came back as a 3YO and mixed it with the best sprinters by winning the 1100m Magic Millions sprint defeating the older horses in track record time. He also set a track record when winning the 1000m Listed Lightning Handicap at Doomben

An aptly named son of Tale Of The Cat (USA), Whittington has the strength and speed that has been the precedent for sire success in Queensland. He also has stamina in his pedigree as his dam Maha Chakri by Beautiful Crown (USA) won the Listed 2100m Tasmanian Oaks.

His top performers include: