Rocky Amateurs' Archer race field locked and loaded

The $775,000 Archer is the Rocky Amateurs main race on Sunday, April 28, at Callaghan Park, Rockhampton, and is considered the richest race in regional Queensland. It is a slot race similar to the Everest. The Archer is a weight for age race run over 1300 metres.

Rocky Amateurs president Bill Reid said all the nominations were in now and everything at this stage was set in stone although could happen in eight days with animals.

"The support race, the Fitzroy, also has 32 nominations and we're over the moon about that," he said.

Mr Cummings, who trains Strait Acer, told Queensland Country Life the Archer would be the first race in regional Queensland for any of his horses, but he was looking forward to the experience.

He said he decided to bring Strait Acer, a 4yo bay gelding, to Rocky Amateurs because the offer "was too good to refuse".

"I hope he goes as good as his odds suggest, I think he's $1.90," he said.

"He's got a good winning record. He's earned over $1.2 million in prize money. He's been competitive against some of the best horses in the country in his age group and he's in form. Hopefully that's a good recipe (for a win)."

Mr Reid said there was a big variation in the Archer field this year and it was good to see some of the local horses get in.

"We actually have two local horses in the race that are trained in Rockhampton so that's a first," he said.

"Master Jamie is back in who was there in the first year, but unfortunately our little local champion, Chinny Boom, pulled up with throat problems after its last start in Brisbane so (the trainer) Clinton Taylor has replaced her with a horse called Princess Tenko, who has Brisbane form as well," he said.

"Looking over the field, we've got horses like Strait Acer from Sydney trained by Edward Cummings, Bart Cumming's grandson. We've got the Snowdens involved...for the first time with a horse, Lavish Empire, and Kris Lees, who has been a big supporter with Australian Bloodstock of the race, is coming up with You Called It.

"And then one of our biggest slot holders, Max Whitby, who is one of the biggest race horse owners in Australia...he's bringing up a Barbara Joseph trained horse called Super Helpful, who's got very, very good form.

"And then we've got some of the big Brisbane stables with the O'Dea and Hoysted stable with Better Get Set; Chris Meagher...with Arentee, which ran a very fast time (in Brisbane last Saturday) is coming up so just a very, very good spread of horses and it's going to be a very even field this year."

Mr Reid said, looking at the field, any one of the horses in the Archer could win the race.

"That's all looking good from the point of betting and for things like our Calcutta - it should make for a very vibrant Calcutta on Friday night (April 26)," he said.

Mr Reid said there would also be a full field of 16 for the Fitzroy race which had a first prize of $48,000.

"That's going to be a wonderful sight coming down the big long straight in Rockhampton," he said.

The winner of the Archer scores $420,000 in prize money.

To explain how the Archer works, 12 slot holders each pay $50,000 plus GST for a slot. The owner of a slot can then determine if they would like to run their own horse in the allocated slot or negotiate a deal with another horse owner for their horse to run in the slot. A deal is then brokered between the two parties as to how the prize money is split,