Taroom horseman eyes Rockhampton Cup

By Jordan Gerrans

Being born-and-bred in Taroom, the Rockhampton Cup has always been a race that has intrigued Rodney Hay.

While it is more than three hours from Taroom to Rockhampton, it is the closest provincial club.

Now into his early 60s, the Callaghan Park track in Rockhampton is where Hay has raced more horses than any other surface in the Sunshine State across his tenure in the sport.

While it will not be as a trainer, Hay has his best chance yet to lift a coveted ‘Rocky Cup’ on Saturday with Sunfall.

Sunfall is prepared by respected Brisbane trainer Barry Lockwood, with Hay owning the former Victorian galloper.

Sunfall ran third over a mile on Ipswich Cup day and is rated as a $9 shot as of Friday afternoon in the Cup for 2023. 

The middle distance galloper has been in the Sunshine State for five starts this year, with the plan always to head to the ‘Beef Capital of Australia’.

“Being from Taroom, I raced at Rocky a lot with my horses over the years,” Hay said.

“To win a Rocky Cup, that has always been on the radar for me.

“It has been a reasonable long-term plan.

“Hopefully he can win it, I would be very happy if he could.”

The son of Zoustar previously did his racing in Victoria for the Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr) yard.

He has won up to 1410 metres but despite several chances, Sunfall is yet to win at a mile or beyond.

“We bought him off Mick Price and I spoke to Mick through the process and he said he had struggled at a mile,” Lockwood said.

“But, he said that he would be ideally placed in Queensland, which he has been.”

The four-year-old chestnut has won twice in mid-week metropolitan grade as well as finishing in the money twice in a Saturday city race since landing with Lockwood.

Hay also races Petronius – who recently won the Listed Lightning Handicap in Brisbane – with Lockwood.

While Hay has always raced a small team of gallopers himself, he has recently expanded his ownership of more horses who are prepared by other trainers.

Lockwood has a few for Hay, so does leading provincial horseman Clinton Taylor, Battle of the Bush-winning trainer Craig Smith and the dual-licensed David Rewald.

Hay estimates he has picked up 45 winners from the most recent season, eight he has trained himself, with the remainder coming from other trainers.

He has around 30 in work across the state with a number of trainers.

Hay has been a regular in the city in recent years, having a Country Cups Challenge Final runner in 2020 before a memorable effort to finish eighth in the BOTB decider of 2021 with Galapagos.

While he was born and bred in Taroom, Hay earlier this year relocated to Chinchilla, where he has a team of a dozen in work.

It is not just Sunfall that will represent Hay at Rockhampton on the opening days of the 2023 Northern Winter Carnival.

The Smith-trained Vici is entered for a race on Friday while Taylor has Ashiko Bay and Stoical in for Saturday in Hay’s light blue, black sleeves and cerise armbands colours.

Sunfall has drawn wide and will be ridden by comeback hoop Warwick Satherley in the Cup.

“He never got going until it was all over really last start at Ipswich so hopefully he gets a good run on Saturday” Hay said.

Sunfall will spell at Chinchilla following the Rockhampton Cup.

Hay is looking forward to taking a big team of horses out west for the upcoming Betoota, Birdsville and Bedourie circuit period of the year.