Capalaba specialist Columbian King set for shock return

By Alex Nolan

Capalaba specialist Columbian King will forever hold a special place in Jamie Hosking’s heart, which is why the trainer was so reluctant to return to the races with him.

But, after almost 10 months away from the track, the ‘King’ of Capalaba returns to his favourite patch of turf on Sunday just in time for the Straight Of Origin series.

A winner of 23 races from 33 attempts at Capalaba, including victory in the 2021 Capalaba Cup, Columbian King is set to exit box four in Race 7, which is a Queensland heat of the series.

He may have been back sooner, had major floods and Hosking’s nerves not intervened.

Columbian King was on track to return to the races in February this year after recovering from recurring back injuries.

When the floods hit South East Queensland and sidelined Capalaba and Albion Park for an extended period, those plans were thrown into chaos.

“Any dog that wasn’t up and racing at the time meant we struggled to get them fit,” Hosking said.

“It was hard to get trials and racing was the priority and when you’ve got a dog coming back from injury that’s not ideal.”

Hosking continued to bring Columbian King along after the flood waters subsided but that’s when his own self-doubt began to creep up.

A comment from visiting trainer Steve Withers who asked “why is that dog not racing?” may have been the nudge Hosking needed.  

He would eventually take the son of Dyna Double One for a return to racing trial about a month ago.

“I was very nervous,I didn’t want him to disappoint anyone,” Hosking said.

“I told myself he’d have to break 20 seconds at Capalaba to keep going and he must have heard me, because he ran 19.96 seconds.

“Everyone knows how good he is, but he has been away from the track for 10 months and gotten older, so I wanted to make sure he was going to be competitive.

“People need to remember he’s four-years-old now and I’d hate them to be too hard on the dog.

“My main aim this weekend is to get him home in one piece, but at the end of the day, he just loves racing and they’re a long time retired.

“He’s got a home forever at my place.”

Meanwhile, Hosking said Columbian King’s litter sister and gun stayer Micks Recall’s career hangs in the balance.

Last year’s Group 1 Queensland Cup third place getter, and winner of $140,000, was last spotted when second in a Masters Fifth Grade at Albion Park on May 30.

“She got a bit of bruising on the bone in her wrist but was cleared of anything major,” Hosking said.

“If she comes on season, she’ll be bred with.

“If she doesn’t, we’ve got a sneaky eye on the Masters on Million Dollar Chase night.

“But, if she pulls up lame once more, we’ll pull the pin.”

The litter, bred by Phil Rae, has been nothing short of a marvel, combining for 74 wins and collecting more than $334,000 in prize money.

Hosking said that record could’ve been even better, had Waddling Witch’s career not been stopped in its tracks by injury.

But, he is now looking ahead to the next generation, with Waddling Witch whelping a nine-strong litter by Fernando Bale in December.