Hosking takes Capelbourne Cup and a quartet to boot

By Isaac Murphy

Former Northern Territory trainer Jamie Hosking knew it was going to be a big job relocating his kennels to Queensland, but with the help of family and friends, the trainer has become one of the biggest success stories of the past couple of years.

There have been plenty of ups and downs, but days like Tuesday - when he took out the feature Capalebourne Cup with Columbian King along with three others winners - make it all worthwhile.

“I’ve had a few big nights when I was training in Darwin, but it’s not the same competition as you face in South-East Queensland and to have four winners is a ripping day on the back of a treble here at Capalaba a fortnight ago,” Hosking said.

“I owe a lot to all the people at Capalaba who keep that club ticking; with a grass track and a drag lure, there’s a lot of work involved and plenty of my dogs starting with Columbian King wouldn’t be where they are without having Capalaba as an outlet.

“The prize money on offer for a non-TAB meeting ($3,500 Capalebourne Cup) and the turn out they get, you wouldn’t get that anywhere else in Australia - if you were whinging about today, you’d never be happy.”

The Capelbourne Cup brings together the best eight performed dogs at the track for a crack at the title.

Columbian King was always going to be a starter, but his 19.45-second winning performance was the quickest of any dog this year as he added to the trophy cabinet.

“He’s amazing Columbian King, he just knows how to win up there,” Hosking said.

“The three finals he’s won now - The Grand Prix, the Queensland Straight Track Championship and now the Capelbourne Cup - he’s never been the quickest dog going into the race but he’s found a way to win.

“His original trials there were pretty ordinary, and he hadn’t run real quick time there until his 19.45 today, I think he just thrives on the competition which is something you love in a dog.

“He had that terrible fall up in Townsville in the Cup Consolation, he didn’t do anything major injury-wise, but I thought it might play with his head a little bit, but he’s just come back better than ever.”

Hosking had already racked up a treble before the running of the Cup, beginning with Vitesse Earn who made it two from two in her young career.

“A good mate of mine Stephen Whyte in Melbourne is involved with the connections of Vitesse Earn and sent her up my way about eight months ago,” he said.  

“She’s had a season and done a metacarpal since then, just had a few little things that’ve held her back, hence having her first start at two-and-a-half years old.

“She did a lot of her pre-training down at Healsville and showed plenty there, so they thought it would be a good idea to send her up here for some straight racing and she couldn’t have done much more her first two starts; 20.01 and 20 flat today and I think she’ll be much better from an inside draw in the future.

“She’s a beautifully put together bitch out of El Grand Senor and Nova Magic, a big 33-kilo girl who looks perfectly suited to the straight.”

Group 1 winner Jury is a household name in Queensland but is only beginning to make his mark at stud, and Hosking’s cleverly named second winner Detention is slowly developing into a handy chaser.

“Detention is an interesting dog, he’s out of Jury which is pretty rare, he’s shown me ability in flashes picking up a few races but I think he’s got a lot more he hasn’t shown me yet,” Hosking said.

“Through pre-training I had a fair opinion of him and having just turned two he’s got time to turn the corner, he’s much better than the 20.19 he ran today, but a win’s a win and it all adds to his confidence.

“Steve Williams owns him and approached me a couple of months ago to break in a few dogs for him when he had a bunch coming through.

“He said if there were any I liked I could have a go with them and picked out Detention and another young bitch, it’s great to be involved with someone of Steve’s stature in the sport.”

The treble was complete when Ritza Rocket was too good for the second run in a row at Capalaba, and the youngster is showing vast improvement in a short space of time.

“I got Ritza Rocket shortly after break-in and he showed good signs here and there and I took him up to a maiden on a Bundy Mundy, where I thought he would go quite well,” Hosking said.

“He led but dropped off badly around the home corner, but the run had Capalaba dog written all over it.

“I put him in a maiden at Capalaba and he went 20.40 and won without ever seeing the place, he’s stayed there since and hasn’t really done much wrong, which was the case again today (19.95).

“He’ll go ok on the circle in time, but he turned two only a couple of days ago and is still a bit raw and clumsy, so we’ll keep him up the straight for the time being.”

Hosking thought he might be in for a long day when star prospect and unbackable favourite Waltzing Mickey got rolled in the first, but the trainer has high hopes for the pup who his grandad was originally involved with.

“I thought it might be a bit of a long day to start with when Waltzing Mickey went under as a $1.20 chance in the first, he just didn’t handle it first start with the pre-race swab and wide draw - he’ll be winning soon if his trials are anything to go by,” Hosking said.

“My Grandad (Mick Emery) bred with the dam Beau Jillem before he passed away and produced a few handy dogs including Blue Jillem and Yogi’s My Dad for Peter O’Reilly.

“Grandad’s good mate Lawrence Topping then bred this litter to Ando’s Mac and was going to split the eight pups with him but I took them on when he couldn’t see it through - they look pretty handy.”

Despite his winning ways, Hosking’s feet are firmly planted on the ground and made sure to acknowledge everyone who was a part of the kennel.

“It’s not every week you’re going to start out with four winners from five starters, but in general since I’ve made the move down here it’s been a roaring success,” he said.

“I’ve got a lot of good help starting with my Grandmother Jenny; I call her the boss and we’ve got plenty of people behind the scenes that have given me a foot up.

“The results show what we’re doing is paying off and it’s days like these that get you up to do it all again every morning.”