Adrian Coome out to end dry run

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Adrian Coome hopes to end a dry October on a winning note at Rockhampton on Thursday.

Coome finds himself in unfamiliar territory not having been in the winner’s stall since Traq was successful at Yeppoon on September 28.

Coome has four chances of breaking the drought at Callaghan Park and is hopeful he can finish the month with two winners.

“I haven’t had that many starters of late and it’s been a while since my last winner,” Coome said.

“I think Magnate is probably my best chance and Attique should be hard to beat in the Benchmark 70.”

Magnate will be attempting to end a string of four straight placings in the Maiden Handicap over 1500 metres while Attique will run in the Benchmark 70 Handicap, also over 1500 metres.

Attique was also nominated for the 1600-metre Benchmark 55 Handicap but Coome felt the mare was better placed in the shorter race.

Attique beat only one home in a field of five last start but was just over two lengths behind inform sprinter Mocial Chief at Rockhampton on October 5.

“I think Attique will be very hard to beat after she drew well in gate one,” Coome said.

Coome’s other starters are Poetic Pete in the Benchmark 55 Handicap and Mymill in the Class 3 Handicap.

Coome has been training for three years and was based at Callaghan Park when he won the Rockhampton trainers’ premiership in only his second year as a trainer.

He originally rented on course stables before relocating to a private training facility at Bouldercombe, north of Rockhampton, at the start of the year.

“It had an 1100-metre grass track at Bouldercome but things just didn’t work out there,” Coome said.

“I’ve been back training on course at Rocky for several months now and have around 20 in work.”

Coome was a former champion provincial rider before retiring from the saddle in 2018 following a long battle with weight problems. 

In his riding days, he had 975 wins and was the state’s leading rider three times, winning seven Rockhampton jockeys’ premierships and two in Mackay.