While Santa may traditionally be associated with a snowier scenery, it was Sunshine and Sand for the Jolly Gent in the red suit at Bassett Park on Saturday December 6th as the Roma Turf Club celebrated the Festive Season with their final race meeting for 2025. Plenty of racegoers and families alike took advantage of the bright, sun-drenched afternoon taking in the five-race twilight programme, with a good crowd taking advantage of the fine warm weather to hold Christmas parties and family gatherings, while the children’s entertainment was a big hit with the kids, especially the waterslide.
As he did at the corresponding December meeting in 2024, Roma trainer Wayne Baker started the day in fine form training the first two winners of the afternoon with Kabukicho and Born Fearless saluting, each ridden to victory by Matthew Gray. In the opening event, the Barry Richardson Memorial Maiden Plate, Destiny Gungho, Kabukicho and Mrs Vee set a blistering early pace with Mrs Vee gaining an early break coming to the home turn, but Gray was able to find plenty in the home straight to nab Mrs Vee right on the line to win by a long neck with race favourite Bush Battle flashing home for third a further length and a half back. Kabukicho posted a winning time of 59.24 seconds for the 1000 metre journey and scored its maiden win at its tenth race start. The Brave Smash mare is well-named, being out the mare Red Lighter – Kabukicho is a well-known “entertainment district” in Tokyo in Japan.
Race replay – Kabukicho wins the Barry Richardson Memorial Maiden Plate
Baker and Gray then combined to win the NRG Services QTIS benchmark 55 handicap of 1000 metres with Born Fearless defeating stablemate Here’s To Power and Cunnamulla visitor One Smart Cookie. Jumping from an awkward mid-field draw, Gray found himself midfield on the Defcon gelding behind the early leaders Lunessa and One Smart Cookie. Gray then made a winning move in the back straight circling around the leading duo, before clearing out in the run to the judge to win by 4½ lengths in a time of 57.96 seconds. Born Fearless was only having its second start for the Baker stable after previously being prepared by Toowoomba trainer Rex Lipp who has retained part ownership.
Race replay – Born Fearless wins the NRG Services QTIS Benchmark 55 handicap
The third race of the afternoon was the Ezyquip Roma class B handicap and saw the Ben Waldron-trained filly Replica post the second win of its career, having saluted at the track on Club Hotel Roma Cup day. Ridden by apprentice Amelia Heinrich, Replica was slow to begin and Heinrich had to do plenty to round up the early pacesetters in Kantai and Zouphisticate before stretching out in the home straight to score by 4½ lengths over Kantai with Miss Rapide finishing strongly to be third a further 2½ lengths away in a time of 1:13.33 for the 1200 metres. Heinrich has only been race-riding since September and has already posted 8 wins and 15 placings from 63 rides in her short career so far. Originally from South Australia, the 18-year-old apprentice hoop worked for the Chris Munce stable at Eagle Farm when she first moved to Queensland, before linking up with trainer Renita Beaton at the Gold Coast. Following her first day of riding in September at Nanango, Heinrich has ridden at Beaudesert, Gatton, Dalby, Kilcoy, Warwick, Mitchell, Charleville, Cloncurry, Chinchilla, Mount Isa, Pentland, and across the border at Ballina, and won the Booringa Cup aboard Mistrey Emperor for Charleville trainer William Pugsley.
Race replay – Replica wins the Ezyquip Roma Class B handicap
The day’s final two events saw the combination of Toowoomba trainer Kevin Kemp and Gold Coast-based apprentice Bailie Baker salute winning with This Is One and Spooky Spirit. In the Wild Desert Open handicap of 1200 metres, Baker quickly raced to the lead on jumping away and was never headed leading from start to finish, scoring over Ka Bling by 4¼ lengths and Flank Speed finishing third just a short head back. This Is One made it back-to-back wins on the Bassett Park sand, winning a 1200 metre class B on Roma Cup day.
Race replay – This Is One wins the Wild Desert Open handicap
Spooky Spirit was another to win on Roma Cup day and kept that winning form going for the Kemp/Baker combination winning the Wild Desert benchmark 65 handicap with Rumbling Away and Time To Testify filling the minor placings. Wayne Baker and Matthew Gray were awarded the Tilley’s Of Toowoomba trainer of the day and jockey of the day awards respectively for their early winning double and a number of placings later in the card.
Race replay – Spooky Spirit wins the Wild Desert Benchmark 65 handicap
While the twilight starting time was designed to allow racegoers and participants to avoid the hottest part of the afternoon, an added bonus was that it gave those on course ample time to take in the Country Stampede and Country Cups Challenge finals in Brisbane. 2024 Roma Cup winner Caffrey, which ran third in this year’s running, bolted away with the Country Cups Challenge at Doomben for Barcaldine trainer Bevan “Billy” Johnson and jockey Tyler Schiller defeating Journalism and Tijuana Two Step, with the 2025 Roma Cup winner Skyforger placing fifth. Earlier in the afternoon, Smiling Zac took out the Country Stampede final for jockey Angela Jones and Toowoomba trainer Mark Currie, winning from Sunnycoast and the Pat Webster-trained Invahir which won the XXXX Ginger Beer Open on Roma Cup day.
A Roma Turf Club spokesperson said “it’s been a great year of racing at Bassett Park, and we were thrilled to see the form stack up from our Cup meeting with the finals in Brisbane. Congratulations to Billy Johnson and Caffrey, and especially Caffrey’s owners in one of Southwest Queensland’s favourite sons Peter Moody along with his wife Sarah and his daughters Cara, and twins Celine and Breann. It was great to see so many families and businesses enjoying the day at the Christmas meeting, and the Club would like to thank racegoers for their on-going patronage and support of the Club through 2025.”
Racing at Bassett Park now takes a break for the holiday season, with the next Roma Turf Club meeting scheduled for February 14th, 2026 for the annual Bendemere Cup meeting.
The Roma Turf Club extends the compliments of the season to all and looks forward to seeing racegoers trackside once again in 2026.
Race replays courtesy of Racing Queensland and Regional Cast