Gregory embracing Queensland carnival challenge

By Jordan Gerrans

As the feature Doomben Cup rolls around for another year, the Archibald camp will be well represented across the program with runners in several events. 

That has become commonplace since Annabel and Rob Archibald set up their Queensland satellite operation a few years ago. 

There is one major change for the Archibald barn during the 2026 Queensland Racing Carnival as there is a new leader of their Brisbane operation with smiling new face Hannah Gregory taking the reins of the stable.

As the team has won numerous Group events since the Sunshine State barn was launched, Todd Pollard called the shots on the ground at Eagle Farm.

The highly regarded Pollard has recently launched his own training venture, with Englishwoman Gregory sliding into his role as the stable’s Brisbane-based assistant trainer.

It is a role that the 33-year-old is thriving in.

“I had big shoes to fill, following on from Todd Pollard,” Gregory said.

“Having worked alongside him for a couple of months before he moved on, I felt I was ready just to take that step.

“I obviously grabbed this opportunity with both hands. 

"It's an incredible opportunity and I'm really grateful to Annabel and Rob.

“I'm part of a fantastic team. I came up here for a couple of weeks last August just to get a feel for the place whilst Todd was on holiday and I absolutely loved it.

“I love Queensland. I'm definitely a maroon jersey girl now (laughs).

“Eagle Farm is a fantastic place. I love the vibe of Queensland.

“It's so much more chilled. I'm a country girl at heart and this place makes me very happy.”

The Doomben Cup meeting has been a magnificent program for the yard in recent years.

When Annabel was training solo, she won the coveted Group 1 prize with former stable flag bearer Zaaki in 2021 while Bois D’argent was an upset victor two years ago. 

Bois D’argent was nominated for another Doomben Cup tilt this week but the stable has opted not to accept in the event with the nine-year-old. It was the same scenario for stablemate Nellie Leylax.

As they always are, the Archibald camp will have leading contenders in many other feature races this Saturday as the carnival continues at Doomben. 

Sunsprite heads towards The Roses over 2000 metres while in the BRC Sprint, Tuned and Bosustow will line up.

The Yorkshire-born Gregory first arrived in Australia in June of last year and worked at the Archibalds Sydney base before heading north. 

She has worked for a number of top trainers in the United Kingdom and is hopeful those learnings will be useful in the Brisbane scene. 

“I was an assistant trainer to a national hunt trainer in England called Richard Phillips,” Gregory said.

“I'd like to hope that I'd bring part of that experience in national hunt racing and my knowledge from that.

“Hopefully it could be transferable to the role here and Australian racing.

“I've come over here from the UK not knowing so much about Australian racing, hence me coming over here, because I wanted to learn more about international racing.

“And, everybody has been so helpful, from the staff to the trainers, obviously to Annabel and Rob. 

“I'm overwhelmed with how helpful everybody's been, everyone is so kind and it's just a nice environment to be around.”

Gregory was also an amateur rider before joining Phillips.

Going by their lofty standards in recent years, it has been a relatively quiet Brisbane winter campaign so far for the Archibald team. 

But, there is every chance it is about to pick up momentum. 

Tuned goes to the Group 3 BRC Sprint over 1350 metres on Saturday after an excellent run in the Listed ATC Trophy at the Gold Coast earlier this month where the gelding finished second.

The son of Zoustar is on a path to the carnival’s main prize – the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

Tuned won his way into the prestigious sprint by claiming The Gateway at Eagle Farm in December, which is a race that offers the winner direct entry into the Stradbroke.

“Tuned is a horse we are all excited about,” Gregory said.

“He qualified for the Stradbroke, which is obviously a huge race here in Queensland.

“Should he win that, that would be unbelievable.”

Emerging filly Tupakara is another Archibald galloper that Gregory has high hopes for in the coming weeks. 

The three-year-old ran an encouraging sixth in the Listed Daybreak Lover in the middle of April before finishing second to Brave Monarch in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas. 

Tupakara holds nominations for the upcoming Group 1 Queensland Oaks and the Stradbroke Handicap.

“She ran at Eagle Farm and finished her race strongly,” Gregory said.

“She's been placed in a couple of Group races and the (Daybreak Lover) she ran in a couple of weeks ago was only Listed class.

“When she broke her maiden, I think that's given her a lot of confidence and she seems to be thriving up here.”