Declan’s Gold Coast base boosts Ciaron’s carnival campaign

By Jordan Gerrans and Andrew Smith

Group 1 master Ciaron Maher has long had a home away from home in Brisbane at Eagle Farm, but in the Queensland Racing Carnival of 2026, he has added another string to his Sunshine State bow at the Gold Coast. 

Ciaron’s younger brother Declan, his long-time stable lieutenant, has, over the last year, opened up his own training operation out of Aquis Park on the Gold Coast. 

Declan is kicking goals in his own right as a trainer and during the feature winter months, Ciaron has used his barn as a satellite stable for his carnival runners. 

Ahead of the time-honoured Stradbroke Handicap this Saturday, the Victorian master trainer has detailed how key the GC base has been for his team this year. 

The leading horseman has over the years used Tony Gollan’s stable at Eagle Farm for his carnival runners, but he has been able to spread the load between Brisbane and his brother’s facility in recent weeks. 

“Declan, he's been fantastic,” Ciaron said on Tuesday morning at Eagle Farm.

“He's had plenty of good horses there of ours, Middle Earth, Pride Of Jenni and The Next Episode.

"The Next Episode was up here at Tony’s and then went down there when he was going to race at the Gold Coast.

“Dec, he's training very well. He's only got a small team, but he seems to be hitting the mark very well.

“So, it's pretty exciting for him and it's a great advantage for us.”

Declan has trained three winners from his GC base this year.

It has been another carnival for the history books in Queensland for Ciaron and his team.

On Saturday afternoon, he claimed the Group 1 Queensland Oaks with Fireball Miss.

Ciaron flagged the impressive three-year-old filly is likely to head for a well-earned break before returning later in the spring.

The Next Episode produced two impressive displays in juvenile races as well to announce himself as a star of the future.

Popular stayer Pride Of Jenni triumphed in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast in early May before running a gallant second in the Group 1 Doomben Cup.

Pride Of Jenni is back at the races this Saturday in Brisbane as she aims to win beyond 2000 metres for the first time in her career in the Group 2 Q22, which is contested over 2200 metres.

As the leviathan trainer has a number of bases across Australia, on top of his couple of short-term satellite stables in Queensland, he says the variety is key for his horses.

Ciaron’s brother Declan previously ran his Ballarat stable before shifting north.

“It is very much a big help to have both places, they are very good – Tony’s and Declan’s,” Ciaron said.

“We've worked alongside each other for a long time.

“So, we both know how each other ticks and thinks about horses and scenarios. It's a very big help.

“We have some horses up here in Brisbane, some horses we have at the Gold Coast, it just depends on where they're best suited.”

The showpiece event of the Queensland winter beckons this Saturday with the running of the 2026 Stradbroke Handicap over 1400 metres.

The Maher camp presents with Warnie, who drew barrier one on Tuesday, while Another Wil was handed the other end of the spectrum in 17.

Declan Bates, who has developed a close association with Pride Of Jenni, will partner Warnie while Ryan Maloney, who has tasted Group 1 success for Maher previously, will ride Another Wil.

Another Wil comes through the Doomben 10,000 and Kingsford Smith Cup, where he was competitive on both occasions.

The six-year-old galloped on the Eagle Farm course proper on Tuesday morning.

Another Wil tasted Group 1 glory in C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield in early 2025 over 1400 metres and with the Stradbroke over the same trip, Ciaron believes the sprinter will get his chance on Saturday.

“We had Another Wil work up with a two-year-old of Tony's,” Ciaron said.

“He just worked by himself really; he's fit and well.

“It'll be his third run up here this Saturday, he improved nicely from his first to his second.

“I think he'll improve again, which he'll probably have to. But, he's thrived, the extra distance will be ideal, especially here on a big track. I can't fault him.”

Warnie finished third in the Victory Stakes early in the carnival before also running in the Doomben 10,000. He trialled at the Gold Coast earlier this month ahead of the Stradbroke.

“Warnie galloped at the Gold Coast on Tuesday morning with Victoria Road, who will go to the Wayne Wilson on Saturday,” Ciaron said.

“Warnie, he worked nicely.

“So, he was very good first-up and then he had a trial at the Gold Coast.

“He's really come on in the skin, back to handicap grade this week at Eagle Farm, he should improve."

Meanwhile, Ciaron is confident Pride Of Jenni will handle the 2200 metre trip for the first time in the Group 2 Q22 at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

"There's not much she can't handle, so I'm very confident. She'll relish it," he said.

"She's a strong mare and she keeps galloping, so I don't think an extra furlong will worry her.

"I know she hasn't been to the 2200 metres, but she always takes a lot of pulling up after the race.

"You'd think Doomben and the Gold Coast, those smaller tracks, would suit her style better but she's got a phenomenal record at Flemington which is arguably one of our biggest tracks. Here (Eagle Farm) is pretty similar to that.

"I said I wanted to leave her in (work) after the Doomben Cup just to see how she was.

"It's a little bit of an unknown stepping out beyond the 2000 metres, but she's always very strong through the line so it'll be interesting.

"She's very well and she worked super on Saturday."