Trevor Stephens follows his higher calling

By Jordan Gerrans

As a South Burnett local, it is always notable to win a race at the Nanango track for Trevor Stephens and his family.

He did so back in August of 2022 at Nanango Race Club as an owner when Swift Miss Fox claimed the second win of her career when she was prepared by Corey and Kylie Geran. 

In the years since, the 66-year-old Stephens has taken out his own training ticket and is preparing his own team.

He has taken gallopers Bobby Is King and Higher Calling to the races since August of this year under his own racing banner.

With Nanango hosting their December meeting on Saturday, the hobby trainer travelled Higher Calling to the local track and walked away with a maiden triumph.

“It was good to come back and win a race – just as the trainer this time,” Stephens said.

“I thought it was better for me to train horses myself instead of paying people to do it seeing as I have been around horses for my entire life.

“We are very happy with the way this mare is coming along.

“I am loving training horses; I quite enjoy it - getting down to Toowoomba at the track to speak to the trainers.”

While living at Nanango, Stephens takes Higher Calling and the rest of his small team into Clifford Park a couple of times a week for their fast work.

The trainer has struck up a nice combination with hoop Kenji Yoshida who has ridden his four-year-old mare in her trials and was in the saddle on Saturday, as well.

Stephens hails from Charters Towers in North Queensland and has a in recent years resided in Clifton and Nanango.

He has been around horses for his entire life and has been connected to campdrafting, among other disciplines.

Growing up at Charters Towers, his family was always involved in racehorses, but he was away from the sport for around four decades before he returned as an owner in recent times.

Higher Calling was previously under the care of Anthony and Sam Freedman in Victoria.

The daughter of Snitzel had four trials for the Melbourne Cup-winning training team but never made it to the races.

‘I liked her breeding, she is exceptionally well-bred,” Stephens said of the mare he purchased online. 

“I had a look at her trials down south; they were a bit lackluster, but she did not run bad, but I wouldn’t say she ran good.

“I spoke to a young girl who worked at the stables where she was in Victoria who suggested she just didn’t fit into the big stable lifestyle.

“We pumped the feed into her and strengthened her up.

“We are very happy with her; she has done everything we have asked for and she tried hard. She has her quirks, but we like her.”

The unraced mare put in two credible trials at Toowoomba through November and December before her debut appearance on Saturday.

In her first start under race conditions, Higher Calling knuckled down late to get the best of Bubbly Moon in the Maiden Plate over 1000 metres.

The hobby trainer is hopeful there are more victories in store for his mare after a promising first-up display.

“We were very happy with the two trials, she put in,” Stephens said.

“We were expecting a good performance from her on Saturday, but we thought the 1000 metres may be a fraction short.

“But, we knew she would be competitive. She had to dig in to win, she had to come around the leader to win.

“For a stayer to run down the sprinting horses, we were very happy with it. That is a good steppingstone for a 1200 metre race soon.”

Higher Calling is entered for the Class 1 Handicap over 1200 metres at Toowoomba Turf Club on Saturday evening.

As well as Higher Calling, the Stephens stable also has unraced gelding Flyin' Wired in their barn.

The three-year-old chestnut is yet to trial publicly, but the trainer is hopeful he will debut in his next preparation.

Stephens also has a couple of youngsters he bred that he is working towards getting to the track, as well.