By Jordan Gerrans
Year after year, Bouldercombe trainer Darren Taylor fronts up at Callaghan Park with a team of dogs aiming to lift an elusive Rockhampton Cup.
Taylor is at the top of his game when it comes to trainers in his region of the Sunshine State, claiming Trainer of the Year honours at Rockhampton and Bundaberg last year.
As well as those accolades, he has collected premierships, broken track records and won countless other feature races over the journey.
The title he is chasing more than ever is the Group 3 Rockhampton Cup.
He has gone close in recent years – running third with Are Jay Lochie in 2019 to Tony Brett’s Regal Recall – but he is yet to claim his hometown Cup.
While having a hit of golf on Wednesday morning a few days out from the 2022 heats of the Cup, the experienced dog man detailed just how eager he is to lift the $60,000 race next month.
“I have tried for so long but it is a race that eludes me,” Taylor said.
“It is the only feature race in Rocky that eludes me.
“I have had good dogs going into Cups and nothing has gone right in previous years.
“We are chasing that elusive Group winner here.”
The Central Queensland feature event has been dominated by southern trainers in recent years, specifically champion conditioner Tony Brett, who has won three over the last five years.
South East Queensland-based trainers will again be hard to hold out come Friday afternoon’s four heats, with strong kennels making the journey north, including Brett once again.
The local crew in Rockhampton are guaranteed to have one hopeful in next month’s Cup after Ken Boody’s Zip Stream won through to the decider through the new Wildcard event last Wednesday.
In regards to his own kennel, Taylor has been pleased with his team’s performances over the last 24 months, declaring they are in a rebuilding stage as some of their older seasoned dogs have retired.
“We are always chasing that next star to go towards a race like the Rockhampton Cup,” he said.
Barcia Bullet, Say Some Words and Scriven will carry the hopes of the Taylor kennel across the four heats on Friday afternoon.
“This is probably not the best string of dogs we have taken into a Cup but with a home track advantage, you need to be in it to win it and we are,” he said.
“In saying that, it is not the worst group of dogs we have had for a Cup series over the years.
“I am happy with where they are at, a few things need to go their way and if they do, I think they can qualify for the Final.”
Of his three Cup hopefuls, the veteran trainer identified Say Some Words as his best chance of making it through to the Final in seven days’ time.
Still inexperienced after having just 23 starts in her career, he believes the Barcia Bale bitch can run a race from box two in the last of four heats.