Horses purchased at renowned Central Queensland sale winning at Callaghan Park

In horse racing, it is the results that count.

In horse racing it is the results that count such as at Callaghan Park races last Friday when graduates from last year's Rockhampton Capricornia Yearling Sales comprised an entire race field.

This occurred in the $30.5K QTIS 2YO Maiden (1050m) won by Tom Button's Ashcroft (Nathan Thomas, $14.00) from Clinton Taylor trained Montana Night (Justin Stanley, $1.85).

In a thrilling finish where only a nose separated the pair, Kevin Miller's Bean Deadly (Beau-Dene Appo, $3.80) was a half-head away third.

Ashcroft (b f 2 Sidereus-Bittersweet X Ferocity) is raced by a sizeable syndicate including locals Dennis Cox, Shaun O'Neill and Barry and Carol Ryan.

She fetched $18K at the 2020 online CYS and was part of a draft presented by renowned breeders, Neville Stewart and sons Alistair and Hamish from Oaklands Stud, Toowoomba.

The win ensured that Ashcroft will make the field for the $125K QTIS CYS 2YO Classic (1200m) at Callaghan Park on Saturday, April 10.

Oaklands has enjoyed tremendous success over the years in producing the winner of that race and the 3YO equivalent with the names of Stylish Criminal, Wicked Ways and Miss Lot Won readily coming to mind.

The stud looks set to play a dominant role again this year as the Tom Smith trained Kashkar, a dual winner this season is also a likely CYS Classic contender.

Oaklands has a draft on a dozen yearlings, including a group by internationally acclaimed stallion Power for sale at Rockhampton's CYS on Sunday, April 11 this year.

Naturally those among the syndicate on course on Friday that race Ashcroft were elated by the win and the free pass into the big race final.

"That's only my second winner," Barry Ryan said, but that stat was broken a few hours later as he and wife Carol posed with in the winners' stall with Auxin in whom they have a small share.

Ashcroft wasn't the only winner on the card that came from the sale ring at the Robert Schwarten Pavilion courtesy of a Capricornia Yearling Sale dispatch.

The other, the ultra-consistent Carrara filly Emilee's Empire (Cecily Eaton $5.00) finally shed her bridesmaid status in winning the QTIS 3YO Maiden (1200m) winning $23,150in the process.

Wait for it, bred by Susan Peddle from Dululu, she was a bargain $3000 purchase from the 2019 CYS.

Prior to Friday's gutsy win, Emily's Empire had raced on 16 occasions for nine seconds and a third while in her unplaced runs she was never far away.

Now she has returned owner Helen Wright the wife of the filly's trainer Lyle, a staggering $91,825 in prize money.

"She was passed in at the sale and I went to the breeder after that and offered her $3K which she accepted. She (Emilee's Empire) has been consistent all the way through and with each run her efforts encouraged me to keep going with her," Lyle Wright said.

Susan Peddle has been one of the core members of the CQ Thoroughbred Breeders Association for many years and it was fitting that Emilee's Empire has been a grand advertisement for her breeding operation.

At the upcoming CYS, Susan's draft of yearlings will include five of the stock of Altius (USA) as well as a filly by the good winner getter Whittington.

The wins by CYS graduates Ashcroft and Emilee's Empire were timely endorsements not only for the calibre of racehorses to emerge from the annual local sale but also its importance as a supply chain for Rockhampton racing.

Harking back to Emilee's Empire, it was also pleasing to witness hard working Brisbane based jockey Cecily Eaton trot her back to the winners' stall.

Cecily sustained a badly broken left heel when dislodged from a horse she said bucked in a Warwick race last March and she only resumed riding earlier this year.

A much-respected horsewoman and with almost 360 career wins to her name, she was delighted to have ended Emilee's Empire's run of placings.

"I didn't think she was going to get there (win) but was glad when she did," Cecily said.

Apart from Emilee's Empire her other four rides were outsiders including the Leeanne Applewaite trained Tezoff ($61.00) which finished second to Chris Attard's Auxin.

Since her comeback, Eaton a willing traveller to get rides, has ridden at Toowoomba, Warwick, Miles, Ipswich, Rockhampton and Darwin.

"I live close to the airport in Brisbane and am quite prepared to come up to Rocky regularly if I can get the rides," she said.

Judging by her displays on Friday that should be a given and Cecily will again be in action at the gala St Pat's Day races at Callaghan Park on Saturday.

Originally published as Horses purchased at renowned Central Queensland sale winning at Callaghan Park