Royes picks up where she left off

By Glenn Davis

Richmond’s Shryn Royes started the new country racing season with a bang by training a treble at Corfield in the state’s North West on Saturday and is hoping the trend continues at Mount Isa on Thursday.

Royes completed her best-ever training performance last season with a record haul of 36 country winners and hopes for an even better result this season.

Royes has been training for more than four decades and finished last season with a strike rate of 12% from 295 starters.

“I had 36 winners last season which was my best and I think it’s because I’ve been buying better horses,” Royes said.

“I usually get the rejects from other stables and ones that have had problems in the past.”

Originally from Julia Creek, Royes has been based at Richmond for around 20 years after starting her training career in Mount Isa.

On Thursday, she will make the drive from her hometown to Mount Isa and hopes to have starters in all bar one race, the Maiden Plate over 1100 metres.

Among them will be Media Empire, who will be ridden by David Sparks in the Open Handicap over 1200 metres.

Media Empire was scratched from the Lightning Handicap in Townsville last Saturday after drawing wide.

“He drew a bad gate in the Lightning, but I thought the 1000 metres in Townsville would be too short for him now and he’d get too far back,” Royes said.

“It’s an easier race at Mount Isa and he’s crying out for more ground, so 1200 metres will suit him better.”

Media Empire was previously trained in Rockhampton by Jason Morgan and has been in Royes’ stable for only four starts.

The eight-year-old joined Royes’ barn in June and finished third on debut at Julia Creek before two more appearances at Oak Park and Mount Isa. 

However, he showed a glimpse of his old form when third, beaten less than two lengths, by stablemate Viburnum at Julia Creek on July 25.

“His first run for me when he ran third was really good, then he led and weakened at Oak Park and failed at Mount Isa,” Royes said.

“However, his last run when he ran third at Julia Creek was much better and I think he’ll be a lot more competitive this time as he's crying out for more ground.”

Media Empire has made several trips to the state’s South East in the past when prepared by Morgan.

He ran in two Magic Millions Country Cups at the Gold Coast in 2024 and 2026 without success and finished ninth in the Country Stampede Final on a heavy track at Doomben in 2024.

“I’ll see how he’s going closer to the time, but if he wins this week, then I might try to qualify him for the Country Stampede Final again,” Royes said.