By Glenn Davis
Former champion central Queensland jockey Adrian Coome knows what it takes as a rider to win Rockhampton’s two feature races, the Newmarket Handicap and Rockhampton Cup, and he’s now hoping to test his skills as a trainer at Callaghan Park this week.
In his riding days, Coome rode 975 winners and was the State’s leading rider three times, winning seven Rockhampton jockeys’ premierships and two in Mackay.
Among his list of achievements was winning the Rockhampton Cup three times as well as three Rockhampton Newmarkets and three Townsville Cups.
Like many jockeys, weight eventually ended his career forcing him into retirement late last year.
Coome has a stable of 18 in work since taking out a trainers’ licence and has already trained 16 winners.
Coome has Fomo, barrier four, entered for Friday’s Newmarket Handicap (1200m) while Poetic Heart and Scrabble are two borderline contenders in the Rockhampton Cup on Saturday.
Fomo will be having his first start for Coome after previously being trained in Victoria by Trent Busuttin and in Toowoomba by Ben Currie and Lindsay Hatch.
At his last appearance, six-times winner Fomo finished fifth to Queen Of Kingston in the Beef Week Cup (1400m) at Casino on May 24.
“He went well when he ran second in a trial recently and had to carry me and I’m now 70kgs,” Coome said.
Coome is hopeful both Poetic Heart and Scrabble will make the cut-off for the Rockhampton Cup.
“I think I need two to come out for them to make the field but with luck they’ll both get in,” he said.
Poetic Heart is part-owned by former grazier Richard Wilson who is one of Coome’s biggest supporters with six horses in training with Coome.
Poetic Heart has won four times since joining Coome’s stable at the start of the year and has been in great form with three wins and two seconds from his past five starts.
“He’s racing well and there’s some rain predicted which will suit him,” Coome said.
“I’ve only had him for this preparation and he’s won four races for me after I got him as a Class Two horse.”
Scrabble was previously trained by Caloundra’s Stu Kendrick and is unbeaten in his two starts with Coome.
He won his last two Benchmark races over 1400m at Callaghan Park last month.
Racing Queensland webnews July 3