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By Glenn Davis
Trainer Tom Button is loving his new life in North Queensland and is hopeful recent stable acquisition Ocean Emperor can make a big impact at Bowen on Friday.
A former star Central Queensland jockey and five-time winner of the Rockhampton trainers’ premiership, Button has a small team of 14 in work at Bowen including Ocean Emperor, who will run in the Class 6 Plate over 1280 metres.
He also saddles up Northern Pride in the race.
“I’ve been at Bowen for six months and I’m loving it,” Button said.
“I came here from the Gold Coast originally for the winter carnival last year and I didn’t go home as I loved it so much.
“I’ve got 14 in work and that’s about as many as I want as I’m trying to develop a boutique stable of quality horses.”
Button is yet to test Ocean Emperor in a hard gallop at Bowen after buying him for $8,000 from his former owner Fred Noffke last week.
“I was told Fred was scaling back on the horses he owned so I bought Ocean Emperor last week,” Button said.
“Hopefully we can get a quick return by winning at Bowen.
Bowen | Bowen Turf Club | 2:43 PM
“I don’t know too much about Ocean Emperor but I know his previous trainer Kerrod Smyth well.
“Kerrod thought he could win at Emerald last week but the races were called off because of the heat.”
Ocean Emperor started four times for Smyth, placing at his first three starts, before a last start win in a 1300 metre Class 6 Handicap at Mackay on January 5.
“He only arrived in the stable last week and I really haven’t had much of a chance to work him properly but he should be very competitive on what Kerrod tells me,” Button said.
Mackay | Mackay Turf Club | 4:34 PM
Ocean Emperor was originally trained in Sydney by Bjorn Baker before being moved on to former Gold Coast trainer Michael Costa and then Jack Bruce, who trains at Deagon.
The six-year-old has started 38 times for five wins, three of which have been in Queensland, and 11 placings.
Button has named the Lachie Manzelmann-trained Tycoon Baby as the main danger in the Class 6 Plate over 1280 metres.
Tycoon Baby is coming off a last start second in a 1400 metre Benchmark race at Rockhampton on January 25.
The Button barn also has Spellcatcher set for the Open Handicap on Friday at Bowen.
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