QUEENSLANDRACING INTEGRITY COMMISSION

STEWARDS REPORT

TOWNSVILLE TURF CLUB

MONDAY 25 MAY 2026
 

WEATHER –Fine
TRACK RATING –Soft 5 - Upgraded to Good (4) at 10:45am.
RAIL – +5m 1000m/Winning Post +4m Remainder
PENETROMETER – 5.84
 
 
OFFICIALS

Chairman of Stewards – R. Neal
Stewards – P. Gillard, S. Nosworthy, A. Holzhauser, P. Warren

GENERAL
 
1.    The track was upgraded to a Good 4 at 10:45am.
2.    Rider Michael Murphy advised the Stewards he was unable to attend the meeting after re-aggravating a previous knee injury. Rider Murphy was advised a medical clearance would be required. All replacements were made as per the Stewards Race Day Summary.
3.     
 
Race 1: LADBROKES SAME RACE MULTI QTIS 3YO & 4YO Maiden Handicap 1609M
 
SMALL TOWN HUSTLER – Over-raced in the early stages.
 
BUSH ETIQUETTE – Slow to begin; inclined to lay in over the final 200 metres.
 
WE US ‘N’ CO – Laid in under pressure through the early part of the home straight.
 
STREAMALOT (IRE) – Slow into stride.
 
BALLANDELLA STREET – Underwent a pre-race veterinary examination after suffering a minor laceration above the right eye when being transported to the meeting and was passed fit to start.
 
 
RACE 2: LADBROKES PUNTER ASSIST Maiden Handicap 1000M

DRUMSHANBO – Raced three-wide without cover throughout.
 
NIVEN – Raced wide with cover throughout. Laid in under pressure in the final straight.
 
WADE’S LEGACY – Began awkwardly and shifted out bumping with VALADORE, losing ground. Raced wide with cover throughout.
 
EXCEEDINGLY BRAZEN – Began awkwardly and shifted out at the start.
 
SUPER STEVEN – Raced wide with cover throughout.
 
VIERATA – Tightened for room on jumping.
 
AUCHTERARDER – Began awkwardly and lost ground, settling well back.
 
NUCLEAR ROSE – Tightened for room on jumping.
 
PENROD – Had to steady momentarily leaving the 850 metres when near the heels of DRUMSHANBO (Tasha Chambers which was improving forward and shifted in. Ms. Chambers was firmly reminded of her obligations with respect to shifting ground when in similar circumstances. Inclined to race greenly in the final straight and near the 150 metres shifted in and had to be corrected.
 
AMBER AFFAIR – Tightened for room on jumping. Momentarily held up for clear running rounding the home turn, then was taken inwards to continue to improve.
 
BOOM BUNNY – Shifted in on jumping tightening runners to its inside.
 
WEBS – Bumped on jumping.
 
VALADORE – Bumped by WADE’S LEGACY on jumping.
 
 
RACE 3: BELLE PROPERTY TOWNSVILLE QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap 1200M
 
CARLANDO – Shifted in at the start, bumping OCTOPOLIS, which in turn shifted in bumping BOOMIOUS. Shifted wider to improve leaving the 500 metres. Laid in under pressure in the final straight.
 
ROCKY PRINCE – Began awkwardly and lost ground.
 
DEE THREE – Began very awkwardly and lost ground. Laid in under pressure in the final straight.  
 
MAGANISTA – Raced three-wide without cover throughout. Became unbalanced leaving the 900 metres and hung out shifting wider on the track for a short distance.
 
BOOMIOUS – Bumped by OCTOPOLIS on jumping. Rider Tasha Chambers accidentally dropped her whip leaving the 100 metres.
 
OCTOPOLIS – Taken in on jumping bumping with BOOMIOUS. Held up for clear running for a short distance rounding the home turn.
 
RED LIGHT POWER – Shifted out on jumping bumping with HEART OF VIENNA.
 
HEART OF VIENNA – Shifted in on jumping bumping with RED LIGHT POWER.
 
 
RACE 4: MITAVITE Class 2 Handicap 1400M
 
KIRIKAN (NZ) – Slow to begin.
 
ROCK THE SUNSHINE – Held up for clear running rounding the home turn. Laid out leaving the 300 metres when racing greenly, resulting in HELL OF A TRIP having to be steadied; had to shift out across the heels of the weakening PARCH near the 200 metres; Laid out under pressure over the concluding stages.
 
FOUR LEAF WONDER – Raced wide in the early stages.
 
HELL OF A TRIP – Held up for clear running in the home turn. Had to be steadied leaving the 300 metres to avoid the heels of ROCK THE SUNSHINE, which shifted out. Lost both front plates during the event.
 
TORONAGA – Raced keenly in the early stages.
 
 
RACE 5: LOLS COMEDY FESTIVAL 30TH MAY @ CLUDEN PARK OPEN Handicap 1000M
 
HELLISH – Slow to begin then hampered by MIDAS STAR shortly after.
 
BLUE STRATUM – Raced fiercely in the lead through the early and middle stages; Hampered , and had to steady, by the riderless horse (MIDAS STAR) leaving the 400 metres and again leaving the 250 metres,.
 
MIDAS STAR – Knuckled on jumping away dislodging rider Ivo Fry, with the riderless MIDAS STAR  moving outward and hampering HELLISH. Rider Fry was assessed by on course QAS Medical Staff and was cleared to continue with his engagements.
 
LA PETITE MAISON – Slow to begin.
 
 
RACE 6: GREAT NORTHERN BREWING CO RATINGS BAND 0-55 Handicap 1000M
 
HEZA ROMEO – Shifted in on jumping, tightening OUR FOLLY and then became unbalanced for several strides, settling back in consequence.
 
EXCELBOOM – Raced three-wide without cover throughout.
 
BELLA ACE – Briefly held up rounding the home turn.
 
STELLA BOO – Slow to begin. Raced keenly in the early stages.
 
ARROGANT HEART – Shifted in on jumping, tightening OUR FOLLY. Laid out rounding the home turn.
 
ONE SHOT MORE – Slow to begin.
 
HOT COCOA – Raced wide with cover for the majority.
 
DESARAE DOLL – Began awkwardly; held up leaving the 500 metres and near the 400 metres had to be steadied off the heels of ARROGANT HEART which laid out; laid out under pressure in the early part of the final straight.
 
OUR FOLLY – Tightened for room on jumping between HEZA ROMEO which shifted out and ARROGANT HEART which shifted in, resulting in OUR FOLLY clipping the heels of ARROGANT HEART and blundering, losing ground.
 
 
RACE 7: HYGAIN BENCHMARK 65 Handicap 1200M
 
KHUMBILA – Commenced to race fiercely leaving the 600 metres and when being restrained away from the heels of CAPICELLA had so shifted out abruptly forcing SPIRIT OF MAC wider. Apprentice Fiona Sandkuhl reported that after laying inward and racing very keenly approaching the 600 metres, she had struck KHUMBILA once with the whip on the offside when in clear running and the gelding had overreacted which shifted out abruptly, taking SPIRIT OF MAC out over extra ground. Given all circumstances no further action was required.
 
READY TIGER – Slow to begin then crowded shortly after.
 
CHARTWELL – Bumped shortly after the start by INTRUDER which was taken in.
 
SNITZAROO – Began awkwardly.
 
SPIRIT OF MAC – Slow to begin. Raced wide without cover throughout. Forcer wider rounding the home turn when KHUMBILA shifted out abruptly.
 
MAXIMUM POWER – Shortly after the start, shifted in bumping with INTRUDER, which in turn shifted in bumping CHARTWELL. Over-raced in the early and middle stages.
 
BIGCAT – Held up for clear running rounding the home turn and for the majority of the final straight. Restrained away from heels leaving the 200 metres, with BIGCAT being unable to be fully tested by its rider Chris McIver over the concluding stages.
 
IRRESISTABLE FORCE – Over-raced in the early stages. Laid out under pressure over the concluding stages.
 
CIFONELLI – Slow to begin.
 
CAPICELLA – Raced wide without cover throughout.
 
INTRUDER – Taken in shortly after the start bumping CHARTWELL. Had difficulty obtaining clear running in the final straight.
 
 
 
STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY

Summary of action concerning licensees
 
Reprimands
Nil
Fines
Nil
Suspensions
Nil
Race day injuries/illness
Rider Micheal Murphy – Knee injury – Medical clearance required.
Absent jockeys
Nil
Adjourned inquiries         
Nil
 
 
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses
 
Horses swabbed pre-race
BUSH ETIQUETTE, NIVEN, PENROD, ROCK THE SUNRISE, SAVVY THINKER, READY TIGER.
 
Horses swabbed post-race
All winners
 
Warnings/bars
Nil
 
Bleeders
Nil
 
Falls
Nil
 
Adjourned inquiries
Nil
 
 
Protests
Nil
 
Summary of rider changes/Late notifications
Race 2. No 1. DRUMSHANBO – Tasha Chambers replacing Michael Murphy.
 
Late scratchings
Nil
 
 
The matters contained within this Stewards report may be subject to external review. The Racing Appeals Panel manages external reviews and the Racing Appeals Panel publishes its decisions on its website.

This report and the Stewards Comments for this meeting may be amended at any time, at the sole discretion of the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) Stewards as races are reviewed.