Hometown feature on Nick Walsh's bucket list

By Glenn Davis

Rockhampton trainer Nick Walsh has only been training for a few years but a hometown feature win has always been on his bucket list.

The 25-year-old hopes to tick the box with bush star Bollente in the $100,000 Newmarket Handicap over 1300 metres at Callaghan Park on Friday.

He will get a second bite of the cherry in Saturday’s Rockhampton Cup when Deep Breath lines up in the 1600 metre feature.

Bollente ran third for Walsh in last year’s Rockhampton Cup but due to injury has run out of time for another assault.

Instead, Bollente, a Ryan Wiggins mount, was aimed at the Newmarket Handicap after resuming from a long break when finishing fourth to Princess Tenko in a 1200 metre Open Handicap at Callaghan Park on June 23.

“He strained his suspensory when he ran second in The Fitzroy last year and needed a long time to recover,” Walsh said.

“He hasn’t had the miles in his legs to have another crack at the Rocky Cup so we’ve aimed him for the Newmarket.

“He found the 1200 metres a little short for him first-up last month and he had to carry 64kgs.

“He’s down massively in weight to 56.5kgs this time and he’s going super and he’ll back up next week in the Mackay Newmarket.”

Bollente is rising eight years of age and has started 41 times for 15 wins and 13 placings.

The son of Sizzling was formerly trained by Hall Of Fame rodeo rider Ray Hermann and is owned by his father Clarry Hermann.

“I’d love to win the Rocky Newmarket or Cup,” Walsh said.

“I’ve got Bollente in the Newmarket and Deep Breath in the Cup and both are going well.

“Deep Breath’s run last start was very good and he drops a lot in weight.”

Walsh believes the Newmarket is a difficult race to find the winner with the massive invasion from Brisbane stables.

“It’s hard to line them up but I think Constant Flight is a very good horse and looks the danger from the visitors,” he said.

The Lindsay Gough-trained Constant Flight was run down late when second to Strarvirgo in The Fitzroy at Rockhampton in April.

After fading to finish with the tail enders at Doomben in the middle of May, Constant Flight finished second in the same race Bollente ran fourth at Rockhampton last month.