Country champ resumes at Gladstone

By Glenn Davis

Bargain buy Take The Lead has taken Central Queensland trainer Kale Sinclair on the ride of his life.

He is hopeful the seven-year-old can make a winning return at Gladstone on Saturday.

Take The Lead originally hailed from Sydney and was a paltry $1,000 buy after winning once race for Oakey trainer Patrick Sexton.

The galloper has since gone on to win nine races for Sinclair which has taken his prizemoney haul to more than $110,000.

Take The Lead was crowned last season’s Country Horse Of The Year following his performances which saw Sinclair and connections head to Brisbane to accept the prize at the 2024 Queensland Thoroughbred Awards. 

“He’s first-up and hasn’t trialled but he’s a sand goanna,” Sinclair said.

“We bought him after he had won one race from Patrick Sexton. I was going to buy another horse but they wanted too much for him so I bought him after he had one start for Adam Briskey.

“He won his first three straight for me, missed one then won another, then missed one and won another race.”

Sinclair is a hobby trainer and only trains three horses in Rockhampton but is kept busy as a labourer which includes the odd fencing job and building sheds.

“I haven’t been doing the labouring work lately as I’ve been concentrating on my horses,” Sinclair said.

“I’ve only got three in work but I’d love to get more.”

Sinclair trained his first winner with his first starter when Hallo Poppet won at his former base at Thangool in January of 2023.

The trainer relocated to Rockhampton in May last year.

While Sinclair has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the training ranks, the 33-year-old has racing flowing through his veins.

Sinclair first became interested in racing as a 12-year-old.

“I’ve been around horses all my life as my uncle Dave Vale was a trainer while I’ve worked on and off for my cousin Ricky Vale,” Sinclair said.

“I’ve done a few stints with Ricky but I dropped out working for him just before Christmas when his numbers dropped down from about 30 to 10. I just concentrate on my own now.”

Sinclair is confident Take The Lead can notch up his sixth win from only eight starts at Gladstone.

“He’s fresh which is a good sign and he’s been going well,” Sinclair said.

“He seems fit to me and does get over distance as he’s won a Gladstone Cup.

"At Gladstone, he won by more than nine lengths in one race last year.

“Gladstone is starting to stage some longer races over 1500 and 1700 metres so I’ll get him ready for those races.”