Fly For Yulong posts bold win at Callaghan Park

Trainer sets sights on major Rockhampton race to secure horse a place in coveted upcoming contest.

Handsome Irishman, the suave grey Fly For Yulong (IRE) is trekking towards the $150K Pavscorp Rockhampton Cup (1600m) after a bold all the way win at Callaghan Park last Saturday.

Contesting the $15K Open Handicap (1400m) on a track rated soft, the former two times Irish winner at Galway and Dundalk, was rated perfectly by Sunshine Coast jockey Nathan Thomas.

“He got a soft run in front and really wanted to go on with it,” Thomas commented.

Fly For Yulong (IRE) solid in the betting at $4.00 scored by 1.5 lengths from favourite the Leigh Wanless trained former Victorian Indernile (Nathan Day, $3.60) with Poetic Heart (Ashley Butler, $26.00) a close third.

Winning trainer Jared Wehlow, who part-owns the big grey with Stanwell’s Mark Withers and family, was happily surprised by the outcome.

“To be honest I thought he was still a little too fat,” he said, which indicated that Fly For Yulong (IRE) would deprive benefit from that his third run back from a six months spell.

Wehlow said the $30K Tattersall’s Gold Cup (1600m) run next Sunday at Callaghan Park whereby the winner gets a free pass into the Rocky Cup was next on the agenda.

Fly For Yulong (IRE) has an interesting history being acquired from his Irish connections by clients of the David Hayes training partnership in Victoria in 2018.

The best he could perform under that banner was a third in the All Greys (1400m) at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November in 2019 when Vow and Declare won the Melbourne Cup.

Subsequently purchased from an online bloodstock auction last winter, his only other win in seven starts for Wehlow was also over the 1400 metres of the Callaghan Park course in November 2020.

The Wehlow stable won with another online purchase when Hallowed Crown gelding Charles Seven (Asley Butler, $1.65) was impressive in beating Danawi (David Simmons, $6.00) in the BM 65 (1200m).

It was back to back wins for Charles Seven, a son of Hallowed Crown, after his Mackay 4.3 lengths demolition of a BM 60 (1100m) first-up on May 29.

The manner in which Charles Seven accelerated when challenged over the final 100 metres on Saturday suggests he is well above average.

Ashley Butler, riding in superlative form had earlier won on the Leanne Applewaite family raced Zoffany (IRE) consistent gelding Tezoff ($2.50) in the Class 3 Plate (1600m).

Leanne has placed Tezoff to perfection since purchasing him from New South Wales where he was a non winner in 15 starts.

“There is no secret to training him. From seven starts for me he has won three, been placed three times and never finished further back than fourth,” she said.

Hard working Gold Coast based jockey Chris Caserta was rewarded when he landed the QTIS 3YO (1100m) on the John O’Sing trained Golden Archer filly Ketchikan Gold ($3.20).

The filly claimed the $21,050 first prize while Caserta’s percentage on top of his four other riding fees made the trip north worthwhile.

“Yes, it was a good day at the office and I like the racing and the track in Rocky. If I can get rides, I’ll keep coming up that’s for sure,” the capable lightweight said.

Another Gold Coaster, the talented Chris Whiteley, a regular supplier of winners did just that again on Graeme Green’s Lasco ($1.65) and Jamie McConachy’s imposing Helmet gelding Last Of The Mohicans ($16.00).

Trainer Green is looking at running stable star Master Jamie in this Friday’s upcoming $30K Tattersall’s Sprint (1200m) after excusing his distant last in the recent GR 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

A colourful crowd attended Saturday’s Girls Grammar School races which was well patronised being the first of the RJC’s Winter Racing Carnival.

Originally published as Fly For Yulong posts bold win at Callaghan Park