Chillemi looking forward to northern carnival

By Garry Dell

Champion Atherton Tablelands trainer Roy Chillemi believes his former two and three-year-old star Tennessee Boy has the potential to provide him with his third Cleveland Bay Handicap winner during the 2022 Cluden Park winter carnival.

Chillemi won the prestigious sprint in 2009 with Kanetoshi King and repeated the dose in 2018 with the recently-retired "grey flash" Grey Missile.

He believes Tennessee Boy is nearing the brilliance which took him to victory in the main two-year-old races a couple of years ago and the Cairns Guineas early in his three-year-old career, when he defeated recent Brisbane winner Derulo.

His win at Cairns two weeks ago was a fitting pointer to his chances at Townsville in an Open 1400 metre handicap in which he has been weighted on the minimum 54kg and drawn a handy alley.

"I firmly believe he's back to the sort of form he was in early in his three-year-old career," Chillemi said.

"We have had a bit of a problem with him over the past few months because of a shoulder injury when he pulled up lame in a race at Cairns and he was off the scene for some time.

"But, he ran a good third in a good recent race in Townsville and I was pleased with how he won in Cairns.

"Regular jockey Stephen Wilson was instructed to ride him quietly early and the horse over raced a bit before he settled in behind the pace and once Stephen let him go at the 600 metres he soon put the result in no doubt.

"He's more of a chaser than a leader but a tough horse and never stops trying.

"He pulled up well and has worked well since with my three-kg claiming apprentice Rachel Shred in the saddle.

"All things being equal I'll think he'll show us his true ability on Tuesday but there's still a few weeks to go before the Cleveland Bay.

"He's an easy horse to train; very sensible; can cope the work; and loves the life he leads around the stable.

"I wish I had a few more like him.

"Then again, the Cleveland Bay is not an easy race to win, there's a lot of trainers both in the north and as far away as the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, who are prepared to travel up here to chase carnivals' riches."

Chillemi's previous winners in the feature NQ sprint were both city class gallopers with both winning in town or on the Sunshine Coast.

Tennessee Boy was a comparatively cheap buy at $12,500 from the Magic Millions March sale, being a progeny of Spill The Beans, a son of champion Australasian sire Snitzel.

He has already amassed over $200,000 in stakes money. 

Chillemi believes he has handy "second stringers" as potential candidates in Love Is Blind and Willygood and the next few runs will sort out his final candidates for the Cleveland Bay. 

Meanwhile, there's a new staff member at Chillemi's Tolga stables.

Chloe Taylor is quickly fitting in with all-round duties including driving the luxury float to meetings.