Caloundra Cup race day’s magic moments of past 20 years

We've taken a look back on the top tales and incredible moments from Caloundra Cup Race Day at Corbould Park over the last 20 years.

Caloundra Cup moments over the years.

The Caloundra Cup has cemented its place as the Sunshine Coast’s premier Saturday race day.

We’ve taken a look back on the magic Caloundra Cup moments from Corbould Park over the past two decades.

This year’s event is the final meet of the Queensland Winter Carnival and has received a well warranted funding boost with more than $1m on offer across the entire card.

Local chances from training duo Sheila Laxon and John Symons, David Vandyke and Gary ‘Jack’ Duncan will test their luck in the major $300,000 Caloundra Cup event.

Eagle Farm-based trainer Les Ross is one who has tasted success across the nine-race card with Smart Chariot taking out the Sunshine Coast Guineas in 2002 and River Racer winning the Glasshouse Handicap in 2019.

Smart Chariot jumped from barrier 15 on the day but stormed home to set the Guineas record of 1.35.08 which still stands today.

“He was a real good horse and Craig Williams rode him on the day and I remember him being three deep with no cover but came home to win,” Ross said.

“The money wasn’t as good as it is today but it was still a good race to win and he was a special horse.

“I remember they said it was a good ride but I must not have remembered it as a great ride so for that record to still be in place 20 years on is special and something I honestly did not know.”

Smart Chariot (outside) ridden by jockey Craig Williams at the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Barry Pascoe.

Records show the talented gelding earned a share of the $40,000 in prizemoney on the day, $160,000 less than what he would be awarded in 2022.

Ross said he was looking forward to seeing how his lone runner Mishani Sniper performed in race four on Saturday.

“It’s always a good meet and I’ve had a few good days over the years,” he said.

“I’ll be there for sure on Saturday and he’s again a nice horse, although he’s only won the one race, he’s probably my best three-year-old in the yard.

“It won’t surprise me for him to win the race but the gate won’t make it easy over the short course.”

Top 3 Caloundra Cup Day Moments

3. The Bostonian proves his worth on International waters

The Bostonian overcomes the wide sit under Michael Cahill and unleashes a speedy run up the middle of the track, flashing home to land the @SCTurfClub Guineas. pic.twitter.com/7NhK5SrvFc

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 30, 2018

Queensland jockey Michael Cahill and New Zealand-based trainer Tony Pike combined in 2018 for a Sunshine Coast double winning the Daybreak Lover and Sunshine Coast Guineas in the span of three weeks.

In his final run for the prep The Bostonian took out the Guineas as a well deserved $2.80 favourite but Pike said it was a lesser prize than he originally came for with initial aims for the Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm.

“It has been well documented we scratched him a couple of times early because of wide barriers and then he got bitten by a green ant or spider,” Pike said in an interview with Nathan Exelby in 2018.

“We had to treat him and by the time he was ready to race the winter was pretty well over.

“It was unfortunate missing the (Queensland) Guineas, but in hindsight he had plenty of time to acclimatise and with three wins in a row, a couple of stakes races, it’s been a good end to the carnival.”

There was no setbacks the following year with The Bostonian returning to once again reign terror on South East Queensland tracks, winning a pair of Group 1 races in the Doomben 10,000 and the Kingsford Smith Cup.

2. Woorim doubles down in the Glasshouse Handicap

Woorim, winner of the Glasshouse Handicap. Picture: Darryn Smith

Jockey Stathi Katsidis rode the Robert Heathcote-trained gelding to her first Glasshouse Handicap win in 2010, sitting second last at the 800m and 400m mark, before launching home in dramatic fashion.

The Corbould Park victory came as the third straight of her campaign before finishing third in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes two starts later.

Twelve months on from her first Sunshine Coast win, jockey Damian Browne steered him home, again from the back part of the pack.

The win held him in good order once again with Heathcote opting to send him south to the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield where he won his only ever Group 1 at a handy $21.

1. Winx begins her winning streak in the 2015 Sunshine Coast Guineas

"Winx is last, she'll have to come past the 17 of them"

Some elite Wednesday viewing of the 2015 Sunshine Coast Guineas win that propelled the Mighty Mare to the first of her 33 race winning streak💙🐎https://t.co/8rhgMpjqIMpic.twitter.com/mIlLkwHK3c

— Eddie Franklin (@eddiefranklin47) June 29, 2022

The Mighty Mare known as Winx took out the 2015 Sunshine Coast Guineas, marking the first win of her incredible 33-run streak.

Jockey Larry Cassidy steered the Chris Waller-trained runner from barrier 14 but found himself sitting dead last entering the home straight.

Winx managed to overcome all 16 horses in front of her to run a sectional of 34.93 and take home $80,000 in prizemoney.

“At the 1000m I thought ‘this is not good’,’’ Cassidy said in an interview after the race.

‘‘At the 600m it was even worse, I was in an impossible position.

“I just made the decision to come to the outside, if I was going to get beat, I didn’t want it to be because I was on the inside behind horses.

“That was just breathtaking, it’s a long time since I’ve been on one that let’s down like that.”

In 2020 the race was renamed the Winx Guineas, in honour of Australian Racing Hall of Fame recipient.