Aces are up for horseman Kym Afford

By Jordan Gerrans

After claiming a rare hometown Wondai Cup last Saturday afternoon, hard-working horseman Kym Afford has quickly turned his attention to the Country Cups Challenge series with the in-form Aces Up. 

The Wondai trainer purchased the five-year-old gelding from Ryan Tyrell earlier this year with bush Cups in mind. 

After half-a-dozen starts for the Afford camp, the trainer believes the penny has finally started to drop for Aces Up as he has won his last two races, with his latest triumph the Wondai Cup. 

The 61-year-old Afford was represented in the big smoke during the Battle of the Bush series decider earlier this year and he is keen to do the same in the CCC Final in December.

He believes everything is lining up towards Aces Up being overly competitive in Saturday’s Gympie Cup over a mile, which doubles as a CCC qualifier. 

“This qualifier wasn’t part of the original plan, we are just having a throw at the stumps in the Gympie Cup more than anything,” Afford said.

“I am told the Wondai and Gympie Cup double has never been done before so that’s what we are aiming for.

“Gympie trainer Trevor Thomas knows all his history and he says that double has never been done before so we will have a chance on Saturday.

“He is the right horse, in the right form and with the right jockey in Kelly Gates jumping from the right barrier in three – so everything is on his side.

“He has raced well at Gympie before. He is going good enough.”

As the curator of the South Burnett Race Club and local trainer at the Wondai track, winning the Cup last week was a special moment in the relatively short training career of Afford.

Afford – who rides all his own trackwork – has only been training since 2018 and won his hometown Cup for the first time.

But, the trainer says that there was someone at the Wondai track last Saturday that was even more proud to see him win the race than he was.

Local racing stalwarts Glenis and Roy Radunz have long sponsored the Cup and there were overjoyed to see Aces Up win the prize as he is trained on the track. 

“It was a good and competitive race, Aces Up beat some nice horses in that race,” Afford said.

“The sponsor of the Cup has been at the Wondai club for more than 60 years and old Roy had tears in his eyes.

“He was over the moon to see a local trainer win it, he was chuffed.

“He told me after the race that every time they put up sponsorship money, it is a visiting trainer and horse that win it, so he was thrilled to see a Wondai horse win it and the money can stay local. He was pumped.”

Hoop Gates partnered Aces Up to victory in the Cup, which was a massive day for the rider.

She collected a winning treble just weeks after she collected a double at Eidsvold.

Afford has stuck with the 42-year-old Gates for Saturday’s Gympie Cup which offers a prize purse of $22,000.

After relocating from South Australia to train in the Sunshine State, Afford is enjoying a prolific run of form in recent times.

Over the last year he has shifted from his previous Kilkivan base to Wondai and prepares a stable of 16 gallopers.

In the 2025-26 season, he is boasting a 25% winning strike-rate, with 10 winners to his name.

Afford’s career-high for winners in a season was 15 last term, so he is well on track to surpassing that.

The 25% winning strike-rate that the Afford stable currently boasts is more than double than any of his seasons over the last decade.

The backing of larrikin Chinchilla-based owner and trainer Rodney Hay has done wonders for the Afford barn.

As well as Hay’s support, Afford says he has also been buying a better class of horse in recent times.

Conditioner Afford will take seven horses to Gympie on Saturday and the trainer has labelled Holiday Dreams and Gold Revolution as his best winning chances, alongside Cup contender Aces Up.