Former Far North Queensland sprinter Grey Missile sent his earnings soaring past $300,000 by winning a 1200m No Metro wins handicap at Corbould Park on the Sunshine Coast last Saturday, January 25.
Sent south three weeks ago to Gold Coast-based Toby and Trent Edmonds, Grey Missile is yet another success story for the continuous relationship of Tolga-based trainer Roy Chillemi and Cairns racing devotee Tom Hedley who heads numerous racing syndicates.
If they don't already, Magic Millions should give veteran Tolga trainer Roy Chillemi and prolific Cairns owner Tom Hedley prime ringside seats at their annual 2YO in training sale in October at the Gold Coast.
Back in 2015 the duo paid $60,000 for a Written Tycoon/Rezonet colt through Kenmore Lodge, Dulacca, which was named Tyzone. The combination 'clicked' immediately, with the 2YO gelding starting six times in Townsville for four wins and two placings - his most important win being the $100,000 Villa Resort-Casino Classic in July 2016.
Although racing predominantly in North Queensland with a further six wins, Tyzone faced the prospect of increasing weights so he was sent south to Toby Edmonds in March 2018.
Since then he has won a further six races including the 1350m Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben in May, giving the 5YO gelding his second black type success having won the Listed Goldmarket at the Gold Coast in March. However, for Hedley, the thrill of winning a Group 3 race was then surpassed when Tyzone was runner-up to Trekking in the Group 1 Stradbroke. All up, Tyzone has now started 37 times for 16 wins and seven placings with earnings now topping the million dollar mark.
Twelve months later, Chillemi and Hedley returned for the 2016 MM 2YO in training sale and paid $35,000 for a Red Element/Days Of Innocence colt bred at Raheen Stud, Gladfield, which was named Grey Missile.
After winning twice as a 2YO, Grey Missile resumed racing in late January 2018 and over the next six months started 11 times for six wins and two seconds - his most notable win being Townsville's premier sprint, the Cleveland Bay Handicap, in late July 2018.
Like Tyzone, increasing weights limited his prospects over the past 12 months so Grey Missile was also sent to the Edmonds' stable on the Gold Coast for a first-up win at the Sunshine Coast. All up, Tyzone and Grey Missile have now won $1.3 million from the initial outlay of $95,000 for the duo which both established their careers in Far North Queensland.
Red Element has new home
Class sprinter Grey Missile has champions on both sides of his pedigree. His sire, dual Listed winner Red Element, is a brother to Australian champion racemare Typhoon Tracy while his dam - the unraced Lion Hunter mare Days Of Innocence - is a sister to dual Group 1 and Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Lovely Jubly who in turn is the dam of former world champion sprinter Chautauqua.
Now sire of 156 winners and more than $8.6 million progeny earnings, Red Element was relocated to Charsons Park, Tiaro, between Gympie and Maryborough, prior to the 2019 breeding season where he shared stallion duties with veteran sprinter Daunting Lad.
Charsons Park is operated by Sarah Charnock and partner Shane Parsons who met when working for premier trainer Bruce McLaughlin some 20 years ago. They've now been breeding horses at Charsons Park for the past 15 years and, having recently obtained his trainer's licence, Shane trained his first winner Prunda at Kilcoy on Australia Day, last Sunday, January 26.
QTIS premiers for December
It was a good end to 2019 for Charters Towers trainer Ben Williams who won $27,800 in QTIS incentive prize money in December to top the table for QTIS 2YO trainers.
Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association's website reports Williams came in ahead of Stuart Kendrick who earned $19,150 with Angela Plumb, Chris Anderson, Darryl Hansen, Fred E Smith and Peter Fleming all in third spot with $12,750 in bonus prize money for the month.
The Williams stable had two winners at Townsville - Cinderella Rose (F Siderius/Rosalita) on December 5 and Which Lily (F Falvelon/Witches Which) on December 22.
Both fillies are owned by Charters Towers-based owned/breeder Suzanne Hammer. Which Lily is home-bred while Cinderella Rose cost $10,000 at last year's Capricornia yearling sale at Rockhampton.
Williams' good month has seen him leap into third position on the QTIS 2YO trainers table for the 2019/20 season relegating Robert Heathcote into fourth position. Matthew Dunn and Tony and Maddysen Sears remain in the top two positions.
Robert Heathcote had a good run into Christmas with $60,400 in QTIS bonus prizemoney for December to be a clear winner of the 3YO QTIS trainers ahead of Toby and Trent Edmonds with $37,250 and Bill Kenning on $25,500.
Significant changes
December's results have meant some significant changes to the 2019/20 season table for 3YO QTIS Trainers. Tony Gollan remains at the top with $161,450 but Heathcote has now jumped into second spot earning $136,000 in QTIS bonus prize money and Rex Lipp has $96,000 and is now third.
All Good Millo, Cinderella Rose, Kaoru Princess, Our Stormy Girl, Queen of Style, She's a Tigress and Which Lily were the leading QTIS 2YO runners for December and while their good wins have resulted in some changes to the top ten of the QTIS 2YO Premiership table for the season, there's been no impact on the three leaders with Lady Banff, Rothfire and Spirit One still at the top.
Lady Yendor earned $25,500 in December to lead the way for 3YO QTIS runners, followed by Guntantes and Scout with $24,500 each and Roasted on $16,200. Guntantes has now jumped to the top of the 3YO QTIS Premiership table with an impressive $105,000 in QTIS bonus prize money for the season so far, Gem of Scotland has been pushed into second place on $84,000 and Better Reflection rounds out the top three with $57,750.
Trained by John Wiggington at Rockhampton, Better Than Ready's daughter Better Reflection has now boosted that tally to $94,500 through winning a QTIS 3YO handicap at the Sunshine Coast last Saturday, January 25 to bring her total QTIS bonus earnings to $107,250 and total prizemoney of $322,150 over her seven starts racing career at two and three years old for four wins and two seconds.
Boyer broke Birdsville track record
Although Charters Towers owner/breeder Sue Hammer and trainer Ben Williams have had recent success at Townsville with 2YO fillies Cinderella Rose and Which Lily plus Simply Marvellous who won at Townsville last Saturday, January 25, they also have another stable star in New Zealand-bred gelding Boyer who is current holder of the Birsdville 1000m track record.
Aptly named after the suave 'Hollywood heart-throb' French-born actor Charles Boyer, the 5YO gelding is by Group 1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Power (GB) from the winning Redoute's Choice mare Belle Chantecler (French: to sing clearly) and was sold for $180,000 at the 2016 New Zealand select yearling sale.
Originally trained by Sydney-based Gerald Ryan, Boyer won three races at Canberra before he was offered at a 2019 Magic Millions autumn racehorse sale where he was bought by Sue Hammer for just $3000. Since then he's earnt $24,175 with three wins and a third from 10 starts - his most significant win coming at Birdsville last September when he broke the 1000m track record.