![Barnavara [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2275700.jpg)
Kelly exit raises fresh questions over Queensland racing shake-up
There is no more experienced racing man in the county than Kim Kelly, so his resignation from the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission should send shockwaves to those who think they know better.
Kelly has made his career in integrity, from Australia to being chief steward in Hong Kong, before returning to his home state and taking up the deputy commissioner role.
In reality, he should have been the boss, but Kelly has set about bringing Queensland up to standard and done a great job.
Then came Matt McGrath’s review of the state’s racing, suggesting that integrity should be within Racing Queensland’s remit.
Kelly didn’t agree with that proposal, and it might not be a coincidence that he resigned as Queensland racing minister Tim Mander returned after being cleared by the Australian Federal Police investigation.
Mander is a supporter of McGrath, who has become the chair of Racing Queensland following his work on the review.
McGrath is a former ATC chair and Cronulla board member in the NRL.
There are murmurs around racing in Queensland that McGrath would like a Peter V’landys role as executive chair of Racing Queensland.
Meanwhile, the search for a new chief executive seems to have stalled with Lachlan Murray’s time as interim chief executive almost matching previous boss Jason Scott’s tenure.
Murray has done a great job, while holding the fort, without the security of being appointed.
Racing Queensland needs a bit more certainty about the chief executive role going forward and Murray should be the popular choice.
It lost certainty when Kelly walked away with no clear replacement available from QRIC.
Barnavara has an early spring glow about her
It is still more than a month until spring, but a taste of what’s to come from the Chris Waller team was on show at Randwick on Monday.
Autumn Glow, Autumn Boy and Aeliana always grab attention, but the most interesting performance was Barnavara.
She came to Australia with a $10 million price tag and was disappointing in her only run in the autumn. But she has put on more than 30 kilos and had the speed in her legs to win her trial on Saturday, a great sign for a Prix de l’Opera winner at 2400m.
Her time was significantly slower than Napoleonic in the first heat, but it was the nature of a free-striding win that suggests she could be another good one for Yulong.
It is always a good idea to keep an eye on what James McDonald rides in these trials, and no surprise, he was on Autumn Glow and Aeliana.
There was one later in the morning that finished down the track in a two-year-old heat, Central Europe, who got as short as $5 for the Golden Slipper, coasted to the line and did his best after it.
He won’t be a maiden for long and could fulfil his destiny at a high level.
Import Barnavara let run by @KPMcEvoy wins a 900m trial at Randwick on Monday by 2-3/4 lengths from Wootton Verni with Campaldino in third. Aeliana and Ohope Wins were close up. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/sHbADTrRUW
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) July 19, 2026
Lloyd’s close call sees him ride them out
Zac Lloyd is a quick learner after his $300 fine for failing to ride out Tellurium at Newcastle last Monday.
The rising star hoop got the shock of his life when Phantom Major loomed to beat him as he shut down on Tellurium.
He returned to weigh-in relieved, and the stewards had the photo finish ready for him, reminding him that he would have done six weeks if he had been beaten.
There was no switching off on odds-on favourite Aethelwulf at Kembla Grange on Thursday as it won by nearly seven lengths and again on Roselyn’s Star at Rosehill, Lloyd made sure there was a margin before idling down.
Kipling summed up defeated champ best
Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” could be about champion pacer Leap To Fame, who was so brave in defeat by Captains Mistress in the Inter Dominion Final on Saturday.
It is clearly the race of the year in any code as the four-year-old upstart stole a march on Leap To Fame, who has carried the sport for the past couple of years.
She put 10 metres on him when she went for home in the back straight of Albion Park, but Leap To Fame didn’t lie down, he drew on every bit of stamina and determination but couldn’t run down the flying mare.
They put a huge gap on the best pacers in the country and broke the track record by more than a second.
Kipling’s verse describes Leap To Fame best:
“If you can meet with triumph and disaster
“And treat those two impostors just the same;”
When Leap To Fame gets beaten, he still draws praise and as Kipling continued:
“If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
“To serve your turn long after they are gone,
“And so hold on when there is nothing in you.”
In defeat, Leap To Fame was at his best, but harness racing has a new superstar in Captains Mistress.
One for the punters
Roselyn’s Star lived up to a couple of good barrier trials winning at Rosehill on Saturday. There are a couple more wins left for him this preparation before the handicapper catches up with him. He is already a Group 3 winner, and it will be interesting how far he gets in the next couple of months.
One from the stewards
It has been nearly a year since El Pibe De Oro has won but stewards noted his late surge down at Flemington on Saturday and he might be ready to win. Stewards reported he was held up for clear running from the 400m until near the 250m. Apprentice Luke Cartwright explained he had been asked to ride the horse with cover albeit he settled a little further back than he would have liked. Cartwright added the four-year-old quickened when clear but layed in under pressure late as closed off the race.
One for the bookies
Seeiaye was impressive winning on debut but he has become one of those stick-with-me horses in his next five starts. It might be time to let him go around without your money, even though he has been placed at his past two Saturday runs. He looks to have found his level, so wait for him to drop back in grade.
