Justin Stanley booked for Jetski's return at Yeppoon

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Jamie McConachy is hopeful Jetski can make a winning comeback and fend off strong challenges from rival stables Ricky Vale and Darryl Johnston at Yeppoon on Tuesday.

Jetski will have his first start in four months when McConachy sends him around in the Open Handicap over 1100 metres.

The seven-year-old hasn’t raced since finishing fourth to the Nick Walsh-trained Villa Villekulla in a 1300 metre Open Handicap at Mackay on May 27.

“He’s had a barrier trial and went well so he should run well fresh,” McConachy said.

“I bought him for $20,000 off Tony Sears in Toowoomba but he wasn’t quite good enough for the winter carnival here.

“He’s more of an end of season horse and he should be able to pick up a few races like this at this time of the year.”

McConachy rates the Vale-trained Knight’s Sword as the main danger ahead of stable mates Aspen Lad and Fav’s Flyer from the Johnston stable.

McConachy has booked Justin Stanley for Jetski's first-up assignment. 

“He’s got the outside gate but there’s only six in it,” McConachy said.

“If there’s a doubt with him it’s that he might be a little soft first-up and there’s a suitable race at Mackay coming up shortly which I’m looking at with him as well.

“I think Knight’s Sword is the one to beat over the others.”

Former Victorian Knight’s Sword won four straight for Vale last spring including three at Rockhampton.

He then had four starts during the Central Queensland winter, winning twice on his home track, including his last start win in a 1300 metre Open Handicap at Callaghan Park on May 18.

The 63-year-old McConachy won the Townsville Guineas with City Mission during the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival after claiming his second win in the Capricornia Yearling Sales Classic with Sunnycoast at Rockhampton in April.

The Toowoomba-born McConachy has spent most of his training life in Rockhampton after working in the coal mines at Blackwater for 10 years.

“I worked in the mines for about 10 years at Blackwater after I left Toowoomba and I started training five horses while still working in the mines,” McConachy said.

“I was only a hobby trainer in those days but training has always been in the blood so I eventually took it up full-time in Rockhampton.”

McConachy has been training since he was an 18-year-old and has won a host of Country Cups including a Rockhampton Cup with Vandalise and both the Townsville and Cairns Cups with Chivadahlii.