Mackay feature beckons for improving Heroic Talent

By Jordan Gerrans

Rockhampton trainer Stephen Rundle believes the consistent Heroic Talent deserves his chance at a feature event in Thursday’s rich Northern Jewel QTIS 3YO Handicap at Mackay.

The 1300 metre sprint offers a prize pool of $105,000.

Rundle has always had a strong opinion of his son of Heroic Valour as he travelled the bay gelding to the big smoke to have a crack at a Saturday city race over a mile in early March.

While he did not trouble the scorers on that occasion, Heroic Talent has returned to his local area in top form since and won at Mackay in the middle of May before finishing second at Thangool in his most recent outing.

In 16 career starts, Heroic Talent has placed on seven occasions, for just one win so far.

The 49-year-old Rundle believes Heroic Talent could easily have a much more imposing record going into the Northern Jewel if the ball had bounced his way a few more times.

“He has been a bit unlucky, a couple of them seconds he was a bit unlucky,” Rundle said.

“A better horse beat him on the day, but since then he’s come out and beaten a lot of those horses anyway.

“He's a bit of a tricky horse to ride, he doesn't think sometimes, so they just have to ride him.

“I took him to Thangool the other day, because it would have been a month between runs before going to this race from his win at Mackay.

“He came from last to run second there, he ran home really well and it's a tricky little track, Thangool.

“Just looking at this race for Thursday, I think it's a winnable race for every horse, to be honest. We've beaten some of them horses that are in it.

“I think every horse has got a genuine chance.”

Uruguayan jockey Raul Silvera Olivera, who won the Rockhampton Cup last year, has developed a close bond with Heroic Talent and will retain the ride for Thursday.

The hoop will jump from barrier seven.

Silvera Olivera was on board for the gelding’s maiden win as well as a number of his placings. 

Rundle has designs on stepping his three-year-old up to the Magic Millions Capricorn Guineas over 1500 metres during the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

“He can run the 1300 metres for Thursday and I've got no doubt that I think he'll run further,” he said.

“The Guineas will be his next target after this.

“Heroic Talent’s owners are great people, they love the horse and they have been very patient with him.

“He has just been a bit unlucky on the day, but the horse goes good, he's a nice horse.”

Heroic Talent’s stablemate Be Bob Aloola also travelled to Brisbane when they raced in the city in March.

Be Bob Aloola beat Heroic Talent home on that occasion.

The duo has been the backbone of Rundle’s strong training campaign in the season of 2025-26.

The Rockhampton trainer has seven winners to his name this term and he has been striking at 14%.

He posted a career-best mark of eight winners in the 2022-23 season, which he is on track to surpass before the current campaign comes to a close.

Rundle’s current strike-rate is also the most prolific run of results he has recorded in a decade, as well.

Rundle was highly respected throughout Queensland in the equestrian field before starting training gallopers almost two decades ago.

The Central Queensland trainer is hopeful it is a sign of things to come in 2026-27 and beyond.

“I am a lot happier now with how it is going,” he said.

“We've got 15 in work and my oldest horse is three. So, we've got a really nice young team of horses in and we've got seven yearlings to come in and it's just exciting.

“A lot of them are all the same owners we have had over the years, they've just invested in a few yearlings.

“I've got a couple of good owners that, they've got some nice horses and they breed so there are some really nice horses.

“I've just been trying to be as patient as I can.”

Rundle also heads to Mackay Turf Club on Thursday with Gem Maker in the Maiden Handicap over 1300 metres.

Silvera Olivera has also been booked to do the riding.