Saturday’s line up at the South Burnett Race Club’s meeting at Wondai is full of interest.
There is a clash of the generations with both apprentice Jess Emmerson and the veteran rider Wayne O’Connell aiming to continue on their winning ways.
The former prevailed on Above The World, Extra Hands and Milton Road at the recent Burrandowan fixture while the latter, who is also a licensed trainer, claimed a double at Wondai on Anzac Day with She’s A Revelation and Extra Hands
Emmerson kicked off her career in fine style at Texas on December 13 last year.
She saluted on her first mount, the hot favourite Pull The Catch, saddled up by her then-Toowoomba master Lindsay Hatch.
She made it two from two with Ready And Mabel in the next before a triumph in the Texas Cup on Hatch’s entry, Milton Road.
Lindsay now manages Tony Gollan’s Gold Coast branch and Emmerson’s indentures were transferred to the Toowoomba horseman, John Dann.
Her Wondai engagements are Ablett, Goose Step and Bodyswerve.
Jess produced another remarkable performance when she collected quadrellas at Mount Isa on consecutive Saturdays in March.
She also booted home Milton Road, now in the hands of Steven Hardy at Warwick, in the Battle of the Bush Qualifier at Nanango last weekend.
The grey bears the location of a famous brewery that is near Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. There was an oblique omen tip in the fact that XXXX was the sponsor of last Saturday’s Doomben Cup.
By coincidence, another grey, Peshwa – last year’s Battle of the Bush hero – won his 2025 heat at Burrandowan.
Peshwa gets a chance to defend his title in the Battle Of The Bush final at Eagle Farm on June 27 following his success in the contest’s leg at Quilpie.
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Another Day Of Firsts
The 13th day of a month proved to be fortunate for Jess Emmerson at Texas but O’Connell and his 25-year-old son Reece enjoyed a somewhat miraculous outcome on another 13th … a Maiden at Nanango on September 13, 2025.
Wayne, a New Zealander who had partnered a Group 3 winner in his homeland, rode in Western Australia, NSW and Queensland prior to a spiral downwards. Somehow, he survived the rough, tough bleak period and connected with Reece who encouraged him to make a turf comeback.
The trainer-father legged his 25-year-old for his first race ride and the duo took out that Nanango event on the aptly named debutante, Bon Is Good.
Later in the program, Reece made it a double on Xuanfeng for his Toowoomba masters, Kylie and Corey Geran; Wayne was atop the narrowly beaten runner-up Party Prophet.
In a day that exceeded every dream, Reece made it a treble on Depth Charge.
More recently, O’Connell Snr trained Oakfield Eagle which scored at Nanango (April 4) and Esk (March 7)
At Wondai, Wayne will be aboard Zena Boy, Merchant Moon, Luminous Waters, Foxtrotting and Rockabye Warrior.
Reece will be hoping that the Duff name will bring joy again. His booking on Saturday is for Subdue in the finale, the Duff Family Memorial.
At Burrandowan, Kathy Duff continued her long-standing tradition of presenting hand-made jewellery to the Burrandowan Cup-winning jockey. This year’s recipient was Reece, courtesy of Vic Heading’s charge Flying Rothe.
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Form Twister
All the Wondai acceptors, except the emergencies, had jockeys around the time of Thursday’s deadline.
What was still up in the air at that time was the actual track condition. Rain packs sand down and the surface can feel firmer.
The following candidates have Wondai credentials to consider: Jain (six starts for three firsts, a second and a third), Paper Cowboy (3:3-0-0), Costa Catori (2:1-0-1), Luminous Waters (2:1-0-1), Igbo (8:1-2-1), The Devastator (4:1-0-1), Daunting Instinct (1:1-0-0), Rapid Dude (2:1-0-0), Dolly Disco (1:1-0-0), Amphawa (4:0-3-0), Great Angles (2:0-1-1) and Foxtrotting (1:0-0-1).
Rodney Hay’s hopefuls Holiday Dreams (3:2-0-1), Ablett (2:2-0-0) and Mamaragan (1:1-0-0) in the opening event, the Parker’s Plumbing and Gasfit Handicap at 1:30pm, are hard to separate.
Their rivals Hard Landing (4:2-0-1), Sutherland (2:1-1-0), Diggity (6:1-2-2) and Zena Boy (3:0-2-1) also have gone well here.
The place shown in parentheses after the trainer’s name in form guides is the horse’s training venue.
Clearly, gallopers prepared at Wondai have prior experience of the surface and layout.
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Some Reminders
- The Fashions on the Field theme of “Classic Black & White” will have the same flavour at Eagle Farm on Saturday for Queensland Derby Day.
- There is no EFTPOS ATM. The track is cash only.
- BYO is not permitted.
- Both bookmakers and a TAB will be in operation.
Looking forward to a lot of excitement. See you there !
