By Tony McMahon
The much-anticipated Capricornia Yearling Sales Racing Carnival embracing first class race days at Callaghan Park on Friday and Saturday as well as the yearling sales on Sunday is set to break all records.
Why wouldn’t it be considering entries for the two days of racing topped 300 and Sunday’s draft of 109 yearlings selling at the Rockhampton Showgrounds is unquestionably the best offered since the sale’s inception in 1988.
The races and sales are complimented by a wide range of social activities catering not only for the racing and thoroughbred breeding connoisseurs but for the fashion, food and wine conscious sets.
Following the Hygain Country Cup TAB race day on Friday there will be the Rum City Foods 2YO Classic Calcutta staged on the front lawn area at Callaghan Park commencing from 6pm.
Tickets are available from the Rockhampton Jockey Club at Callaghan Park at $35 which includes a complimentary drink on arrival at 6pm and canapes throughout the evening.
The highlight of the evening will be the Calcutta on the CYS 2YO Classic conducted by Russell Leonard who has few peers in this sphere.
With horses nominated from throughout the length and breadth of Queensland it is expected that a grand attendance will be trackside for the evening.
Yearling inspections will be taking place throughout Friday and Saturday at the Robert Schwarten Pavilion at the Showgrounds where a parade of yearlings and a complimentary barbeque will take place on Saturday night.
This will get underway at 6pm with the parade of select yearlings to run from 7pm.
During Saturday’s $125,000 CYS 2YO Classic (1200m) meeting, fashions will be of the highest standard with $5000 in prizes being offered.
The Sharon Mylrea Fashion on the Field will undoubtedly be just as completive as that which will be occurring on the racetrack during the afternoon.
Racing wise and Friday’s Hygain Country Cup (1500m) whereby the winner if so qualified to certain requirements can take home $28,000 has drawn 21 entries.
The innovative race concept has lured horses, trainers and jockeys from Toowoomba; Chinchilla; Longreach; Barcaldine; Nanango; Eidsvold; Miles; Emerald; Mackay and Bundaberg so the race truly has that country theme.
Just to put into perspective, the attraction and support the 14 races offering in total just over $500,000 over the two days has lured, is the fact that the smallest individual race entry is 14 horses.
Better still, with so many visiting horses competing, including a bevy from Brisbane and other South-East Queensland centres, racing will be ultra-open enticing strong betting turnover.
It is on the cards that Friday’s TAB card could blow-out to eight races given that 33 youngsters have been entered for the $31,000 QTIS 2YO Maiden Handicap (1050m).
Providing the acceptances for the race fit the criteria for a race split it would seem logical that Racing Queensland would come to the party and divide rather than balloting 2YO horses out on the eve of the Capricornia Yearling Sales.
Weather is always the determination of the success of any outdoor sporting function and the icing on the cake for the three grandiose carnival days is the prediction of fine and sunny conditions.