Graceville Thoroughbreds after more Pallarenda Stakes glory

By Jordan Gerrans

Sunnycoast was the Pallarenda Stakes champion back in 2022 and the Graceville Thoroughbreds team are eager to see if the next progeny from broodmare Even So can repeat the dose this Saturday.

After claiming the Pallarenda Stakes at Cluden Park three years ago, Sunnycoast has gone on to win almost $250,000 in career stakes.

Sunnycoast is owned and was bred by the Graceville Thoroughbreds operation in Rockhampton.

Even So has since gone on to produce smart Northern Rivers of NSW galloper So Koby and the next cab off the rank is Miss So And So.

Miss So And So was a barnstorming trial winner at Mackay earlier this month and will tackle the 2025 edition of the Pallarenda Stakes this Saturday at Townsville.

Bryan Hall and his wife Lorraine operate Graceville Thoroughbreds in Central Queensland and trust the guidance of their stable hoop Raul Silvera Olivera.

The Uruguayan jockey lives at their property and rode Miss So And So in the trial where the two-year-old filly won by almost 15 lengths.

“We knew she would race well in the trial,” Bryan Hall said.

“Raul can tell with these babies in the paddock about how their actions are and if they will run well or not.

“She was his pick at the sales but no one wanted her.

“They are very good in the mind these ones out of Even So.

“Even So is really good natured and can do anything with her so it goes into the foals.”

The Mackay trial was a sharp form reversal for Miss So And So.

In her maiden public appearance in a Cluden Park trial earlier in October, she was beaten by more than 30 lengths.

The Graceville Thoroughbreds operation mix and match who they send their horses to and Mackay’s Lyle Wright has picked up Miss So And So.

Wright prepared Cyclone Topgirl who finished second in the Pallarenda Stakes back in 2017 before going on to win 10 races from just 16 efforts.

Cyclone Topgirl returned to Cluden Park later in her two-year-old season and saluted in the feature $100,000 2YO Classic.

Veteran trainer Wright quinelled the race as stablemate Last Chance ran into second behind Cyclone Topgirl.

That is why the Hall family have such faith in handing a smart baby such as Miss So And So to the Mackay mentor.

“She will run well on Saturday and it seems to be a pretty hot field,” Bryan Hall said.

“Lyle is a very good two-year-old trainer and is one of the best around here at it.

“He is very good with young horses. Lyle reckons this is one of the better fillies he has had up there, he reckons she is a beautiful filly. She will put in.”

The $40,000 Pallarenda Stakes is traditionally the first two-year-old race of the season at Cluden Park.

The event has attracted 14 nominations for Saturday with babies coming from across Central and North Queensland. 

Miss So And So, Sunnycoast and So Koby are all out of mare Even So and race in the same white with gold sash colours. 

Interestingly, all three are by different stallions.

The Halls bought Even So when she was in foal to Sebring Sun, with the foal becoming Sunnycoast.

Bryan Hall said the dramatic form reversal from Miss So And So’s first trial to her second was aided by Olivera taking the ride.

“She still wanted to look around and Raul said he had to keep niggling at her,” he recalled.

So Koby has won two of her first three career starts for John Shelton at Grafton and the four-year-old mare is being targeted towards a Highway race at Rosehill early next month.