Park chasing early festive joy at Kilcoy

By Glenn Davis

Oakey trainer Amanda Park will be looking for some early festive joy when she attempts to defend her Christmas Cup crown with Del Campo at Kilcoy on Thursday.

Amanda, who started training in 2021, has become somewhat of a Country Cups queen in her brief career.

She won the 2022 Chinchilla Cup with Avoca, the Christmas Cup at Kilcoy with Kneze and the Jandowae Cup with Martini Dancer.

“It’s become a bit of a joke up our way as Dad won three straight Roma Cups with Berossus in the 1980s while I won the Christmas Cup at Kilcoy last year and the Chinchilla Cup," Amanda said. 

“When I won the Jandowae Cup I trained the first three across the line with Martini Dancer, Del Campo and Kneze.”

Amanda is the daughter of former Darling Downs trainer Ben Park who has handed in his stopwatch and is happily retired.

“Dad’s retired now but he’s still helping out around the stables and is taking a lot of the weight off my shoulders as I’ve been a bit sick lately,” Amanda said.

“He was a grey nomad for a while but he now jokes he’s never been busier since he retired.”

The five-year-old Del Campo - a Kenji Yoshida mount - has started 23 times for three wins and four placings and is coming off a last start second in a 2000 metre Benchmark race at Dalby on December 2.

The son of Into Mischief’s was also a fast finishing fourth to Royal George at Toowoomba in the middle of November over 2000 metres. 

“I thought he was a touch unlucky last run as we’ve been slowing stepping him up in distance,” Amanda said.

“He just felt the pinch over 2000 metres last time and he’ll appreciate dropping back in distance to 1900 metres.”

Amanda is also helped by her brother Phillip while she battles her sickness.

“I normally ride most of my horses trackwork but I’m down to two a day at the moment until I get better,” Amanda said.

Del Campo has more than paid his way since he was bought online for a paltry $2,500.

“We buy a few online from down south each year and we managed to get Del Campo for $2,500,” she said.

“He’s been a good buy for us and he won his first start for us at Toowoomba in May.”

Amanda, who took over her father’s stables when he retired, has 12 horses in work at Oakey.

“Our strike-rate could be better but hopefully Del Campo can win the Christmas Cup for us again,” she said.