The Duke's first season odyssey

By Jordan Gerrans

The Kelly Schweida team celebrated a special victory on Thursday at Ipswich when the first progeny of former ‘QTIS King’ The Odyssey won on debut.

The Odyssey retired in January of 2022 with more than $1,740,000 in prizemoney to his name and he has made an immediate impact in the second phase of his career in racing.

He is a first season sire.

Duke Of Albemarle became The Odyssey’s maiden winner as a stallion as the two-year-old gelding fought hard to overturn race favourite Olivoni in an 1100 metre event.

Fittingly, it was a QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate for the QTIS eligible Duke Of Albemarle.

Top Brisbane trainer Schweida prepared The Odyssey, as well as his father Better Than Ready, and admitted Thursday’s result was a heartfelt one for his entire operation.

“If you go right back through it, I bought Better Than Ready as a yearling,” he said.

“The Odyssey was the first winner for Better Than Ready and the first black-type winner for Better Than Ready.

“Then when you have the son of The Odyssey, that makes me pretty old, by the sounds of it.

“To race the grandfather and you win the first race with one of his sons - it's pretty special, I got a kick out of it.

“It is special, it's quite good, actually.”

Duke Of Albemarle prepared for his maiden race day assignment by winning a Doomben trial earlier this month.

Hoop Damien Thornton was in the saddle on both occasions and was impressed by the juvenile.

“I think the way he picked up, he was probably always going to get there and run down the leader Olivoni," the rider said.

"He sort of had the right run to do it. 

“He was being well prepared by Kelly and he trailed quite well before this.

“He is a big boy that'll get over a bit further than this and he's done well.”

Back in late 2018, The Odyssey ran second on debut before scoring at his second race day appearance at Doomben.

So, Duke Of Albemarle will always have those bragging rights over his father that he was able to triumph on debut.

While the father-and-son are showing similarities on the track, the Schweida stable have noted they are completely different in terms of their looks and racing style.

“They are like chalk and cheese, really,” Schweida said.

“The black horse, he wasn't overly big, The Odyssey.

“He would just jump and run. This fella, he's big and he wants to settle by the looks of it.

“So, it is a bit chalk and cheesy, but that is good for The Odyssey as a stallion.”

Schweida’s grandson Byron O'Sullivan was the stable representative at Ipswich on Thursday and also detailed the difference between Duke Of Albemarle and his old man.

“He is a bay and The Odyssey was jet black,” O'Sullivan said.

“This guy, I think he's a bit bigger and a bit long and lankier than The Odyssey.

“But, Duke Of Albemarle, he just seems to be well and he trialled like The Odyssey the other day.”

Schweida was full of praise for his grandson O'Sullivan’s ability with the horses as the young man recently looked after the stables Sydney runners for their recent campaign.

The 68-year-old Schweida has no immediate plans with his recent debutant winner and says he will likely now go out for a break after being in work for some time.

“I thought he went super because he was under the pump a long way out,” Schweida said.

“To pick up and keep going, it was a very good effort.”

Duke Of Albemarle is raced by Queenslander Lucie McDonald who bred the gelding.

During his racing days, The Odyssey become the poster boy for the Queensland Thoroughbred Incentive Scheme.

Kelly Schweida’s star four-year-old amassed 10 career wins, including three major QTIS races: the $1 million Magic Millions QTIS Open Handicap, the $300,000 QTIS Jewel 3YO and the $500,000 QTIS Jewel 2YO in three consecutive years.

QTIS provides bonuses for Queensland-bred horses who can prevail in the Sunshine State.

At the cost of just $30,000, Schweida says he specifically targeted QTIS races with the son of Better Than Ready across his career, leading towards several healthy bonuses for his loyal ownership group.