Royes Looking for Boy to Go Get Better Luck

It has been an unusually lean season at Cluden Park for Wulguru trainer Steven Royes.

The former underground miner has led in 10 winners on tracks from Cairns to Mackay, but luck has been thin on the ground on home turf where he’s landed a solitary winner.

For a trainer who has already trained 315 career winners with an impressive 18 percent strike rate, it’s been a frustrating year of near misses. 

Royes is hoping Lady Luck will deal him a better hand at Cluden on Saturday with a strong team of five runners led by Go Getaboy and Acclimatise.

The Cluden track, one of the best draining surfaces in Queensland, was rated a Heavy 10 for the weekend’s meeting which was transferred from Thursday after 330mm over four days.

“We’re due that’s for sure. We’ve been beaten by quite a few short margins -  the luck just hasn’t gone our way,” Royes said.

“I’m not really a statistics person, but it’s been tough. I do my best to get them right and if they’re good enough they’ll win.

“But in this game you need a bit of luck on your side.

“There’s so much that can go wrong – barriers, luck in running. Hopefully our luck changes this week.”

Royes’ stable numbers have increased in recent weeks. He has taken on more horses for owner Tom Hedley, while champion trainer Roy Chillemi scales back ahead of shoulder surgery.

Chief among them is former smart juvenile Go Getaboy who will be ridden by leading jockey Ryan Wiggins in a highly competitive Ladbrokes Open Hcp (1200m).

The field includes a small but talented line-up that includes Roweiner’s Dance, Acrophobic and Overlord.

Royes is banking on a change of routine with Go Getaboy’s will spark a resurgence of form from the 11 times winner who hasn’t won at Cluden for 22 months.

He was encouraged by the gelding’s third to Family Star over 1000m at Cluden on March 6.

“I’m very happy with him. I’ve had him for about a month and worked on a few things to make him happy and I can see glimpses of improvement,” Royes said.

“I’ve kept him on the fresh side with a bit more condition and he seems to be appreciating it.

“He’s fit and well and cherry ripe to run a good race. It’ll certainly give us a guide on where we head with him.”

Royes is also expecting a bold showing by Acclimatise in the Great Northern Brewing Co. Cl3 Plate (1400m) despite the race being a second option.

His first preference was to run the former Victorian galloper in a bench mark handicap over a mile but the race was dropped by Racing Queensland after receiving six acceptors.

“I’m extremely disappointed that the race was canned. It’s the third mile in a month that I’ve had him entered for that hasn’t gone ahead. Now we’ve got to drop back to 1400m.” Royes said.

“He’s well and I still think he’s a very good chance but the mile race was the race we set him for.”

“In Victoria he used to get back and finish hard and that’s what we did but it hasn’t panned out for him that way in his two starts here.

‘If he can get a bit of cover from barrier nine and get to the outside he should be in the finish. He’s a big, tough horse and I don’t think a wet track will worry him.

“Cluden is a brilliant surface that handles the wet better than other tracks.”

Royes will also saddle up Rigel Star and Dollson in the Ladbrokes BM65 Hcp (1000m) and Set The Sails in the Ladbrokes 0-58 Hcp (1000m).

Saturday’s eight-event card is still expected to go ahead subject to weather and track inspections.