Gold Coast horse trainer Ryan Tyrell to help Cocobrew Express bag a win at the tracks

The prospects of another Rockhampton Cup staying local has been enhanced by confirmation that Cocobrew Express has been set for the prestige race on Saturday, July 13.

Greg Bowden and Robin Adams at the Rockhampton Pop-Up Polo, Victoria Park, June 4, 2022.

The prospects of another Rockhampton Cup staying local has been enhanced by confirmation that Cocobrew Express has been set for the prestige race on Saturday, July 13.

That announcement from the four-year-old’s Gold Coast hinterland based trainer Ryan Tyrell brought joy to the ears of his mainly Central Queensland and Rockhampton-based owners syndicate members who would aspire for a cherished Rockhampton Cup win.

“Yes, I am going to go that way as I am extremely happy as to how he has pulled-up so good after last Saturday’s impressive win,” Tyrell said.

“They had their chance to run him down, but they couldn’t.”

Naturally, he was referring to Cocobrew Express’s all-the-way win under 58.5kg in the $85,000 BM 78 Handicap (1666m) at the metropolitan rated Ipswich Cup race meeting.

Cocobrew Express (b g 4 Spill The Beans-Hello I Love You x Lonhro) has been a grand money spinner for his registered ownership group named as 11 entities while including two syndicates among it.

The CQ owners lucky enough to call Cocobrew Express theirs include John and Bev Gibbs, Barry and Carol Ryan and John Kele, as well as Robin Adams and members of his Findyabooke Syndicate.

“Wouldn’t that be something to win a Rocky Cup, said Adams, the proprietor of the Rockhampton hospitality businesses CocoBrew and CocoBrew Express.

Bought by Tom Button for $25,000 from the winners’ factory of the Magic Millions March Yearling Sales in 2021, Cocobrew Express is the winner of eight races while being placed in the first four on seven other occasions, returning $385,145 in stakes.

Four of those eight wins have been from 1500m to 1666m, which has swayed Tyrell’s thinking that the mile (1600m) of the Rockhampton Cup looks ideal for “Coco”.

“My only real concern is that his handicapping rating may not get him into the final field. Anyhow, we are going that way towards the Rocky Cup,” he said.

“While it may not be ideal, I don’t want him to go into that race not having started since last Saturday, which would mean three weeks between runs.

“He is a tough horse and I intend to back him up in this coming Saturday’s Tattersall Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm. That way he would go into the Cup with just two weeks between runs.”

Cocobrew Express was among a star-studded list of 21 horses entered for the Tattersall’s Mile when nominations closed on Monday.

Tyrell said while Cocobrew Express led throughout in his Ipswich win, he did not necessarily have to race that way.

“At his previous start (June 12 - first-up for 109 days), he came from mid-field to just be beaten for third (half-length off winner Magic Conqueror) in a Handicap over 1350m at Doomben,” the trainer said.

Should he start in the $150,000 Rocky Cup as is planned, Cocobrew Express will bolster the ranks of locals behind the high-profile Rockhampton-owned Master Jamie and Namazu.

Six Rockhampton horses have won their home city Cup since 2011.

These are 2011 Canny Climb (trainer Lyle Rowe); 2012 Writer (David Stafford); 2014 Vandalised (Jamie McConachy); 2018 Mamselle Corday (Tony McMahon); 2020 Absolut Artie (Ricky Vale); 2022 and 2023 Master Jamie (Graeme Green).

Tyrell also said that he would more than likely bring a support team of horses up to Rockhampton for the feature two days of the Winter Carnival on July 12 and 13.

Leading Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan as usual will have widespread representation at the carnival with another Ipswich winner from last Saturday in Rockribbed likely to spearhead his team.

Originally published as Gold Coast horse trainer Ryan Tyrell to help Cocobrew Express bag a win at the tracks