Wakefield family eyes breakthrough Weetwood Handicap

By Jordan Gerrans

Brian Wakefield has been able to nab one feature race that eluded his late father through his illustrious career in racing and he is eager to add a second for 2023 this Saturday afternoon.

Brian Wakefield senior was a respected jockey and trainer before his death and would regularly travel gallopers to provincial carnivals around the Sunshine State.

While Wakefield senior claimed a number of big races in his life, events such as the Weetwood Handicap and the Rockhampton Newmarket were not able to be added to his resume before he passed away.

Wakefield junior was able to lift the Rockhampton Newmarket earlier this year with a galloper his family bred in Roman Aureus.

It was a heartfelt and satisfying victory for the Wakefield clan after senior tried on several occasions to win the Callaghan Park sprint.

He was also a regular up the range on the Darling Downs and junior would be over the moon to add the time-honoured Weetwood to his 2023 hit list this Saturday.

Senior ran in the money on Weetwood day in his time in the code but was unable to get that elusive victory.

“The Weetwood is a race that eluded my late father during his entire career,” junior said at his Hendra stables on Tuesday morning.

“It is a race that I would really like to win.

“It would give me some kind of family satisfaction to get the job done for dear old Dad.”

Wakefield senior was a former Brisbane jockey who prepared many good sprinters as a trainer including Roman Senator in the early 1990s.

Roman Senator won 26 races including a Lightning Handicap over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm and a Listed Eye Liner Stakes over 1200 metres at Ipswich.

The Rockhampton Newmarket win earlier this year was the second for Wakefield junior as he also won the race with Frosty back in 2009.

The Central Queensland victory was even more significant for the stable as many of the gelding’s owners live in the Rockhampton and Gladstone area and were able to savour the triumph race day.

Roman Aureus was bred by junior and his wife Natalie, who are also the managing owners of a syndicate of 20 who race the gelding.

Roman Aureus’ dam - Praia Vermelha - was purchased as a yearling by senior before his death to help kick-start his son’s training career.

Praia Vermelha won a jump-out by eight lengths on one occasion but she never did make it to the track with injury concerns.

While she could not make it happen on race day for the clan, Praia Vermelha has been valuable in the breeding barn.

Roman Aureus has won nine times and collected close to $600,000 in stakes while full brother Denarius claimed almost $350,000 in career earnings before retiring in late 2020.

Roman Aureus’ stable name is ‘junior’, much like his trainer.

“He is a real character the horse and he is like one of the kids,” Wakefield junior said.

“We have been very fond of him even back to when he was a yearling as he was a handful during the breaking in process.

“But, he is the loveliest and quietest horse to do anything with.

“He is a gentleman and a pleasure to deal with.”

Georgina Cartwright was in the saddle on 'Rocky' Newmarket day and the Wakefields have again engaged the 30-year-old for the Clifford Park event this Saturday.

Jockey Cartwright is a regular riding gallops for the stable and enjoys her association with the team.

“Brian is very easy to ride for,” Cartwright said.

“I have not had many rides for the team as he only has a small number of horses but he does a great job with the stable he has.

“Brian is a casual guy to ride for.”

Much like senior, Cartwright has finished in the money in a Weetwood in her career but is yet to claim the Toowoomba sprint.

She finished third two years ago aboard Tony Gollan’s Royal Hale and was beaten less than a length on that occasion.

Clifford Park is a venue Cartwright enjoys riding at and she will often head up there for their weekly Saturday evening program following her commitments during the day around South East Queensland.

“He is such an honest horse, everyone loves him,” Cartwright said of Roman Aureus.

“Especially for the Wakefield family, it would be special to win this race for them.”

Roman Aureus put in two encouraging efforts back in the city in the weeks following the Rockhampton triumph earlier this year.

He has since trialled smartly at Deagon ahead of the 1200 metre Listed event this Saturday.

“He has been racing very well and he has always been an honest horse throughout his career,” Wakefield junior said.

“This particularly prep he has really seemed to go up a level and come forward nicely.

“We are very pleased with the way he has done.”

Roman Aureus is the flag-bearer for the small Wakefield stable with the trainer declaring he likes to keep his stable to around five at a time.

Roman Aureus is rated as a $23 with the bookmakers as of Friday morning for the feature after being handed a wide gate earlier in the week.