Master Jamie chasing history with third straight Rockhampton Cup

Photo: Caught in the Act Photography CQ

By Glenn Davis

Old warrior Master Jamie has owned the Rockhampton Cup for the past two years and trainer Graeme Green is hopeful of a history-making three-peat at Callaghan Park on Saturday.

Now a rising eight-year-old, Master Jamie is lining up for start number 64 in a career which has produced 19 wins and 24 placings.

The son of Poet’s Choice has become accustomed to carrying massive weights well in excess of 60kgs in central and north Queensland but has the luxury of 59kgs in the 1600-metre feature.

Green has contemplated retiring on several occasions to become a grey nomad.

However, Master Jamie ended the trainer’s passion for travel several times.

Early in his career, Master Jamie was considered as purely a 1200-metre sprinter but Green always believed he’d run further and his vision has proven correct.

Green concedes Master Jamie is well into the twilight of his career and age is gradually catching up.

“Like all horses they get a few niggling problems as they get older,” Green said.

“He’s not the horse he once was but if we can get some rain he grows another leg on a wet track.

“We had a meeting washed out last month, but the track is in great order now and hopefully it might have the jar out of it which will suit Master Jamie.”

Master Jamie hasn’t raced since beating one home in the Listed Wayne Wilson over 1600 metres at Eagle Farm in mid-June.

“He jarred up after his run at Eagle Farm and he’s never jarred up in his life up here,” Green said.

“It told in the end and it stopped him performing up to his best.

“He’s been a great horse to us and he’s carried 60kgs and more most of his life.”

Master Jamie is attempting to become the first horse to win three consecutive Rockhampton Cups on the grass track at Callaghan Park.

“No horse has ever won three Cups in a row on the grass track at Rocky but there were quite a few who did when they raced on the sand track here quite a few years ago,” Green said.

Green has 22 horses in work and was beaten by one point by Brisbane’s Tony Gollan for the $20,000 trainers’ bonus on offer for the two-day Rockhampton Cup carnival last year.

However, he concedes he has no hope of repeating the effort this year with limited opportunities while Gollan, a 10-time Brisbane premiership-winning trainer, has sent a big team to Rockhampton for the two-day carnival.

Gollan, who started his career in Toowoomba before moving to Eagle Farm in Brisbane, has been a staunch supporter of country racing.