Carkeet’s juvenile program producing another star

By Jordan Gerrans

As a juvenile-focused stable, prominent race series such as the QSTARS QBRED feature program is where Jason Carkeet’s runners shine.

Young standardbreds such as Lady Digby (2024) and Pinnie (2023) have tasted Group glory in QBRED events in recent times, with the impressive Charmed Conquest aiming for his moment in the sun this Saturday evening.

Carkeet is a renowned educator of babies and has been engaged to work for some of the top stables over the years, while also breaking in his own stock, such as Lady Digby and Pinnie.

Charmed Conquest was a devastating winner of his heat in the two-year-old division for the boys last Tuesday, romping to victory by more than 18 metres.

The task will be much tougher again in Saturday’s Group 1 decider, but the 55-year-old Carkeet thinks his latest juvenile prospect is up to the challenge.

“We're a baby-orientated farm, we don't buy horses much, so we really concentrate on the babies,” Carkeet noted.

“We've got mares down the back of my farm; we go from the cradle here.

“So, we watch horses evolve from basically being foals, break them in and see them develop into what they become. That’s what’s great about it.”

“Horses such as Lady Digby and Pinnie, they both had goal-orientated owners, which is what we have with Charmed Conquest.

“They were always our goals; these sort of feature races. And, to pull them off when we aim for them is a real testament to my team here.

“It's not an easy road; it's a slow process to find out where we can take them.”

Charmed Conquest completed his initial couple of trials with Clayton Harmey in New South Wales before the decision was made by owner Norm Jenkin for the youngster to head north with the QBRED riches on offer.

The son of Downbytheseaside gradually built up to his striking run in last Tuesday’s heats with three encouraging runs through July.

Trainer Carkeet was thrilled to see his long-term plan come to fruition with his emerging gelding.

“It's huge, the babies are really what I love,” Carkeet said.

“I have been fortunate enough to work with some great mentors, people like Mark Lichtwark, Graeme Bowyer and Peter Walsh.

“They're all juvenile trainers and they aim at the classic races. I've got to say Grant Dixon's a huge role model for me to aim at.

“To beat Grant is just the biggest thrill, not just to be competing at his level.”

While preparing his own stable, Carkeet has also broken in horses for champion trainer and driver Dixon and one of his major owners, Greg Mitchell, who is the Chairman of the Albion Park Harness Racing Club, over the years.

The hard-working Carkeet prepares a team of 22 at Buaraba in the Sunshine State, which consists of plenty of young stock.

While he has high hopes for stablemate Imperial Night, the conditioner remarks that Charmed Conquest is his current star on the rise.

“It was truly his best run to date,” Carkeet said of the performance in the heats.

“We specifically aimed him at this series. We know what ability he has, just unfortunately we got him at that time of the prep, he hadn't had the miles in his legs from the other races.

“So, we had to use these lead-up runs to season him a little bit more.

“And, obviously Nathan Dawson drove a perfect race and we got to see the best of him.

“I thought the run before his win was exceptional, as well.

“He was held up and had to go back to the sprint lane. Shane Graham came back in and he was tickled pink with the run.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s $150,000 decider, Carkeet notes that he is particularly wary of the powerful Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen team, who will have two runners in the Group 1 event.

McMullen himself will partner Hunt For Glory, while fellow stable driver Tom Callaghan will get in the bike behind Bet Hes Sweet.

“It's a team effort here with my stable, we're not just one man or one horse, it's really a team effort,” Carkeet said.

“It was good to come back to the barn with everyone here in the morning after the heat win and there was obviously a big bounce going forward from that.

“I'm over the moon with him going forward, his work has been spot on. I think he'll be spot on for Saturday night.

“Charmed Conquest’s owner Norm is fantastic, he's patient, he's very willing to work with plans that we put in place to reach goals.

“He's a very goal-orientated owner, he is tremendous. With Norm, it's really an easy road with him as far as setting goals to get to.

“When Charmed Conquest first arrived, he had a little bit of class about him.

“He's a clean-coated horse, he could be in the middle of winter and he's still got a sheen to his coat. They're just classy horses.”

Jenkin also owns Imperial Night and Carkeet is excited about the youngster’s future.

Saturday night’s Albion Park program features four Group 1 Finals and four Group 2 Finals, with more than $850,000 in prizemoney on offer across the feature races.

The QBRED Triad series is a highlight of the Queensland harness racing calendar, attracting the state's leading Queensland-bred horses to compete for feature race honours.