McConachy chasing back-to-back Rockhampton features

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Jamie McConachy is hoping his luck with little known sire Sebring Sun can give him back-to-back wins in the Capricornia Yearling Sales Two-Year-Old Classic at Rockhampton on Saturday.

McConachy won his only Capricornia Yearling Sale Classic last year with Sammiballerina, who is a daughter of Listed winner Sebring Sun.

Sebring Sun won the Listed Rosebud at Randwick and was placed in the Group 1 Golden Rose for Sydney’s Gary Portelli in 2015 and now stands at Glenthorne Park stud in NSW.

McConachy will be double handed in the $150,000 Central Queensland feature with Sunnycoast and Steaming Sun, who are both sired by Sebring Sun.

“I’ve got two good chances and they’re both by Sebring Sun who sired my winner last year,” McConachy said.

Sunnycoast, a Jackson Murphy mount, has drawn barrier five while Steaming Sun will be ridden by last year’s successful jockey Chris McIver from gate three.

Sunnycoast has won two of his only three starts including an all the way win last start over the Ricky Vale-trained Track Tale at Callaghan Park on March 7 while Steaming Sun made her stable debut when finishing a battling third over 1100 metres at Mackay on March 13.

“All the experts say Sunnycoast won’t run 1200 metres but he’ll run it no problem,” McConachy said.

“He led when he beat Track Tale last start but he doesn’t have to lead and can sit in behind the speed.

“He’s very quick out of the gates and is one of the fastest two-year-olds out of the barriers I’ve ever trained.”

McConachy believes Steaming Sun will give him a great chance for the quinella.

Steaming Sun started her career with NSW trainer Allan Kehoe before being moved on to McConachy after finishing third on debut over 808 metres at Coffs Harbour in January.

“She was ridden a bit upside down in Mackay when she led and I think she’s better off just behind the pace,” McConachy said.

McConachy rates Track Tale as the main threat to his pair and is not worried by a weight advantage in favour of the daughter of Whittington.

“Track Tale meets us better at the weights this time, but I don’t think weights are much of a worry with babies,” he said.