Armidale double continues Troy O’Neile’s strong season

The Troy O’Neile stable is low flying following a winning double at Armidale on Sunday.

Presenting a special moment for the Tamworth team, O’Neile was able to give apprentice Grace Palmer her first career victory as Ropewalker ($1.60) scored comfortably in the $30,000 Maiden Handicap (1400m).

The pair had finished second in the 1400m Maiden Handicap at Tamworth on November 25 but improved for a convincing victory at Armidale. 

“That was her first win, and my first win for those connections; it was really good,” O’Neile told Country Punter. 

“He (Ropewalker) was green but good enough to win. He does a lot wrong, and is a horse that races that way, but maturity will help.” 

Completing a race-to-race double, O’Neile then teamed up with leading jockey Aaron Bullock, who rode Think Pi to a knockout win in the $50,000 Super Maiden Plate (1100m).

Bullock got everything out of the 4YO So You Think gelding, which was too strong for his rivals. 

“We went there pretty confident,” O’Neile said. 

“He’s been on fire with his work the past couple of weeks, and I was positive he would run well the other day at Tamworth before the meeting was abandoned, so we had to wait a couple of weeks, and we managed to win at Armidale.”

Superbly bred, Think Pi is by So You Think, out of Pumpkin Pie, a two-time South East Country Championships qualifier (2017 & 2018).

“He’s a nice type of horse,” O’Neile said.  

“His mother is a Pumpkin Pie, who qualified twice for the Country Championships for Danny Williams, so it’s great for the owners.”

Also pleasing O’Neile was the classy run of Hidden Detail in the same race, with the debutant ridden quietly by Grady Spokes before flashing late to finish fifth, beaten just 1.72 lengths. 

“He wants 1400m, and on that run, he might want that and more,” O’Neile said. 

“From the jockey’s report, he let down really well and gave him the feel of a horse that has a bit of a future.”

O’Neile’s stable is in some form, winning four of their past 11, with Steel Claws (Quirindi) and Mr Chips (Tamworth) recent winners. 

With other young horses, such as Hidden Detail, on their way up, the Tamworth trainer is looking forward to the next few months. 

“It’s very exciting,” O’Neile said. 

“Things are looking up, and we’re on a march forward at the moment.”