Latest news with #RockhamptonCup
Courier-Mail
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
From Uruguay to Rockhampton – meet racing's new ‘magic man'
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Australian jockey ranks have a new 'magic man' but it wasn't so long ago that Raul Silvera Olivera was using a translation app to decipher trainer instructions after arriving from Uruguay. Fast forward to 2025 and the softly spoken Olivera is the toast of central Queensland after winning the Rockhampton Cup in the regional beef capital. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Olivera never rode against the original South American 'magic man' Joao Moreira when he was in Uruguay, but did pit himself against another Brazilian riding champion, the legendary Jorge Ricardo. When his decade-long riding contract for a trainer in Uruguay was not renewed, Olivera answered an SOS from the Rockhampton Jockey Club to bolster the riding ranks in central Queensland. • ATC chairman resigns after Rosehill sale 'lost opportunity' However, there was a major early obstacle to overcome. 'When I arrived in Australia, I thought my English was solid, but it was not solid,' Olivera said. 'I studied English before I came here and I could pick up simple things. 'But I needed to use the translation app to work things out and what racing people were saying. 'Then, other jockeys in Rockhampton like Ash Butler and Justin Stanley really helped me along with understanding English. 'I rode a lot of winners in Uruguay but after my contract ended with a trainer there, someone from Rockhampton said they need jockeys and I thought 'why not'. 'I would have needed to start from zero in Uruguay again, so I can improve my skills and see different things in Australia.' Punters never saw Olivera's win in the $150,000 Rockhampton Cup coming. He rode Ricky Vale's galloper Logan Street Lion – formerly trained by Chris Waller – to score the Rockhampton Cup at $19. Olivera, who lives on a farm 30 minutes from Rockhampton, has come a long way considering only a few years ago he had little knowledge of Australian racing. • Gath's marathon feat amid Inter Dominion campaign 'The (racing) influence in Uruguay comes from the United States, with the way we race and the style of jockeys,' Olivera said. 'I did see some races from Australia, like the Melbourne Cup, but I really only saw races from USA. 'But I did know the racing industry in Australia was very strong and it was a very good level. 'The (racing) industry is huge in Uruguay and it is very different in Rockhampton where it is very quiet and in the mornings there are not too many horses out on the track. 'But I love it and it was great to win the Cup, it was my biggest win since I arrived in Australia.' Raul Silvera Olivera is presented with his Rockhampton Cup trophy by the TAB's David Salmon. Picture: Caught in the Act Photography Olivera, who inherited his love of racing from his grandfather, attributes much of his success to his fiancee. The pair arrived in Australia not knowing much about the country but they now treat it like home. 'She came to Australia with me and we work like a team,' Olivera said. 'She cooks for me to keep me on a strict diet with my weight.' Olivera has saddle and will travel. He is happy to go virtually anywhere in search of a winner. Two days after his Rockhampton Cup triumph, the hardworking jockey rode in five races at Barcaldine, about 600km from Rockhampton. Originally published as Raul Silvera Olivera shares his remarkable journey from Uruguay to Rockhampton Cup success
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Raul Silvera Olivera shares his remarkable journey from Uruguay to Rockhampton Cup success
The Australian jockey ranks have a new 'magic man' but it wasn't so long ago that Raul Silvera Olivera was using a translation app to decipher trainer instructions after arriving from Uruguay. Fast forward to 2025 and the softly spoken Olivera is the toast of central Queensland after winning the Rockhampton Cup in the regional beef capital. Olivera never rode against the original South American 'magic man' Joao Moreira when he was in Uruguay, but did pit himself against another Brazilian riding champion, the legendary Jorge Ricardo. When his decade-long riding contract for a trainer in Uruguay was not renewed, Olivera answered an SOS from the Rockhampton Jockey Club to bolster the riding ranks in central Queensland. However, there was a major early obstacle to overcome. 'When I arrived in Australia, I thought my English was solid, but it was not solid,' Olivera said. 'I studied English before I came here and I could pick up simple things. 'But I needed to use the translation app to work things out and what racing people were saying. 'Then, other jockeys in Rockhampton like Ash Butler and Justin Stanley really helped me along with understanding English. 'I rode a lot of winners in Uruguay but after my contract ended with a trainer there, someone from Rockhampton said they need jockeys and I thought 'why not'. 'I would have needed to start from zero in Uruguay again, so I can improve my skills and see different things in Australia.' Hear him roar! ðŸ¦� Logan Street Lion claims the TAB Rockhampton Cup! ðŸ�† @ParkCallaghan — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 5, 2025 Punters never saw Olivera's win in the $150,000 Rockhampton Cup coming. He rode Ricky Vale 's galloper Logan Street Lion – formerly trained by Chris Waller – to score the Rockhampton Cup at $19. Olivera, who lives on a farm 30 minutes from Rockhampton, has come a long way considering only a few years ago he had little knowledge of Australian racing. 'The (racing) influence in Uruguay comes from the United States, with the way we race and the style of jockeys,' Olivera said. 'I did see some races from Australia, like the Melbourne Cup, but I really only saw races from USA. 'But I did know the racing industry in Australia was very strong and it was a very good level. 'The (racing) industry is huge in Uruguay and it is very different in Rockhampton where it is very quiet and in the mornings there are not too many horses out on the track. 'But I love it and it was great to win the Cup, it was my biggest win since I arrived in Australia.' Olivera, who inherited his love of racing from his grandfather, attributes much of his success to his fiancee. The pair arrived in Australia not knowing much about the country but they now treat it like home. 'She came to Australia with me and we work like a team,' Olivera said. 'She cooks for me to keep me on a strict diet with my weight.' Olivera has saddle and will travel. He is happy to go virtually anywhere in search of a winner. Two days after his Rockhampton Cup triumph, the hardworking jockey rode in five races at Barcaldine, about 600km from Rockhampton.
The Australian
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Gone fishing: hook to get Rawiller back to Rocky
Top Sydney jockey Nash Rawiller's eyes lit up when he watched a couple of fishermen haul in a huge barramundi within a stone's throw from a Rockhampton waterfront pub. Rawiller was sinking a few beers with his manager Liam Prior and local race-caller Russell 'Brolga' Leonard at the Criterion Hotel on the banks of the Fitzroy River on the day after The Archer in early May. Rawiller had ridden the Bjorn Baker-trained Sandpaper to fifth place in the $1 million slot race and was unwinding on the Monday before flying back to Sydney. 'Nash had never been to Rockhampton before and he just wanted a day out on the Monday before going home,' Leonard explained. PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'We were just walking down to our local hotel and there was a couple of guys in a tinnie pulling in a barra. 'Nash is a mad fisherman and he said to me 'unbelievable, they catch barra just in here'. 'We got talking and as the afternoon wore on, he said 'do you go out fishing out wide here?' and I said 'yeah we can go out'.' READ: 'Like a war zone': Beriman reflects on nasty Ipswich race fall The 50-year-old Rawiller then suggested coming up again to Australia's beef capital for the Rockhampton Cup Racing Carnival. 'I said to him 'it's all good but that's Caloundra Cup Day, you'll be in demand there'. He did say 'I've ridden plenty of winners at Caloundra, I don't need to go there',' Leonard recalled. Nash Rawiller 'We always try to get a guest rider up here. We even got Willie Pike three years ago and he rode here for the two days.' Rockhampton Jockey Club organised the trip for Rawiller, who was the guest speaker at the Calcutta dinner last Friday night. Rawiller ended up riding in four races at Callaghan Park on Friday, when he won on $1.40 favourite Lone Artist for Liam Birchley, and just once on Saturday (third on Nagamie). He was meant to ride the Chris Waller-trained Caboche in the $150,000 Rockhampton Cup, won by Logan Street Lion, but the gelding was scratched and will now likely head to the $80,000 South Grafton Cup (1600m) next Sunday. 'I love my fishing so I was keen to get back there,' 71-time Group 1 champion Rawiller said about Rockhampton. 'And the track is as good as any I've ridden on. It's got a lovely, sweeping turn and the 600m straight is one of the longest in Australia, I believe. 'It's nice to do these things to refresh the mind so it's a bit of a working holiday for me. 'I've been on a bit of a break already so I'm just giving the body a rest because I was getting a bit rundown. 'I'm already starting to feel better and it doesn't take me long to get the itch back.' Leonard said the two-day fishing expedition would take Rawiller to Port Clinton, Island Head Creek and Pearl Bay, where major joint military exercises are often staged between Australia and the US.
News.com.au
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Keen angler Nash Rawiller was happy to return to Rockhampton for a few rides over the northern carnival
Top Sydney jockey Nash Rawiller's eyes lit up when he watched a couple of fishermen haul in a huge barramundi within a stone's throw from a Rockhampton waterfront pub. Rawiller was sinking a few beers with his manager Liam Prior and local race-caller Russell 'Brolga' Leonard at the Criterion Hotel on the banks of the Fitzroy River on the day after The Archer in early May. Rawiller had ridden the Bjorn Baker -trained Sandpaper to fifth place in the $1 million slot race and was unwinding on the Monday before flying back to Sydney. 'Nash had never been to Rockhampton before and he just wanted a day out on the Monday before going home,' Leonard explained. 'We were just walking down to our local hotel and there was a couple of guys in a tinnie pulling in a barra. 'Nash is a mad fisherman and he said to me 'unbelievable, they catch barra just in here'. 'We got talking and as the afternoon wore on, he said 'do you go out fishing out wide here?' and I said 'yeah we can go out'.' The 50-year-old Rawiller then suggested coming up again to Australia's beef capital for the Rockhampton Cup Racing Carnival. 'I said to him 'it's all good but that's Caloundra Cup Day, you'll be in demand there'. He did say 'I've ridden plenty of winners at Caloundra, I don't need to go there',' Leonard recalled. 'We always try to get a guest rider up here. We even got Willie Pike three years ago and he rode here for the two days.' Rockhampton Jockey Club organised the trip for Rawiller, who was the guest speaker at the Calcutta dinner last Friday night. Rawiller ended up riding in four races at Callaghan Park on Friday, when he won on $1.40 favourite Lone Artist for Liam Birchley, and just once on Saturday (third on Nagamie). He was meant to ride the Chris Waller -trained Caboche in the $150,000 Rockhampton Cup, won by Logan Street Lion, but the gelding was scratched and will now likely head to the $80,000 South Grafton Cup (1600m) next Sunday. 'I love my fishing so I was keen to get back there,' 71-time Group 1 champion Rawiller said about Rockhampton. 'And the track is as good as any I've ridden on. It's got a lovely, sweeping turn and the 600m straight is one of the longest in Australia, I believe. 'It's nice to do these things to refresh the mind so it's a bit of a working holiday for me. Hear him roar! ðŸ¦� Logan Street Lion claims the TAB Rockhampton Cup! ðŸ�† @ParkCallaghan — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 5, 2025 'I've been on a bit of a break already so I'm just giving the body a rest because I was getting a bit rundown. 'I'm already starting to feel better and it doesn't take me long to get the itch back.' Leonard said the two-day fishing expedition would take Rawiller to Port Clinton, Island Head Creek and Pearl Bay, where major joint military exercises are often staged between Australia and the US.
