Billy Johnson-trained Han Dynasty wins Bob Lisle Open in record time at Gladstone race meeting

It was a one-act affair as the star racehorse scored an impressive win at Gladstone. Read what the jockey and trainer had to say about it here.

Han Dynasty, the latest prolific winning horse from the Billy Johnson stable at Moranbah, made light of a long float haul to clock a course record breaking win at Gladstone races on Saturday.

Arriving on course as “fresh as a daisy”, Han Dynasty (Tyler Leslight, $2.00) made a one-act affair of the $8500 Bob Lisle Open (850m) to win by 5.2-lengths eased down much to the joy of his apprentice rider.

Han Dynasty’s time for the “flutter” was 49.11 seconds, eclipsing the previous course record of 49.65 seconds registered by Liberty’s Gift in October 2020.

Leslight, in what he described as “a spontaneous reaction’’, rose in the saddle and waved his whip in a celebratory salute prior to the winning post, an action frowned upon by stewards for safety reasons.

It cost Leslight a $200 fine from chief steward Paul Gillard but it far from dimmed the elation the apprentice, who turned 23 the day before, holds for Han Dynasty.

“I think he is a little freak. He is really something,” said Leslight, who had ridden Han Dynasty to three successive wins at Mt Isa, Bundaberg and Springsure before taking the winning streak to four.

He well could be correct as Han Dynasty (b g 4 Raphael’s Cat x Redoute’s Choice – Our Lill) now has the impressive winning record of nine from 17 with five minors as well.

Trainer Bevan “Billy” Johnson developed a huge opinion of Han Dynasty from the first day he jumped on his back.

“I always believed he was something special as he showed me so much and was a natural. I told that to everyone who asked about him but we struggled to sell shares for ownership in him,” he said.

Fortunately, long-time stable clients Dick Thies, Shane Hickey, Nugget Turnbull and naturally the trainer’s wife Mel needed no convincing and are reaping the rewards.

Similarly, Han Dynasty’s half-sister by another Redoute’s Choice stallion in Killy was unwanted at this year’s Capricornia Yearling Sale and the Johnsons are still trying to source buyers for shares in her.

By winning the Springsure Country Stampede Qualifier (1100m) just seven days before the Gladstone win, Han Dynasty became an automatic qualifier for the $105,000 Final at Doomben on December 3.

“He will have a let up now and probably have a start or two leading into the Stampede Final,” managing owner Mel Johnson said.

Han Dynasty is interestingly bred, being one of a very few of the progeny of the little known about 10-year-old stud entire Raphael’s Cat which is believed to be based in the Taroom district.

However, what is known is that Raphael’s Cat was a gifted, lightly raced sprinting galloper prepared by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse to win three Sydney metropolitan races in 2015.

Raphael’s Cat was also a runner-up at Flemington and from just three racetrack starters, his progeny includes the dual Geelong and Mooney Valley winner Destiny Diamond.

Proudly country, Billy Johnson is no stranger to training prolific country and provincial winning racehorses nor for that matter enjoying success in the city.

After all, he trained Hanover Square to win the much-lauded Battle of the Bush Final in Brisbane in 2019.

He also trains veteran stable star Fab’s Cowboy (48 wins) while other prolific winners include Montanus (26), Blue Jest (23), Money Ad and Exstratum winning 18 apiece.

Johnson is too racing wise for rash statements to suggest Han Dynasty could emulate some of them, preferring to say “he is only still learning really but he is pretty good”.