It’s a good performance by any country trainer to win four races in a month with a team of just over twenty horses in work. Hard working Queanbeyan horseman Joe Cleary did exactly that in October with four different horses on four different tracks. Joe opened the batting at Moruya on October 4th when King Gutho stormed home from near last to win an Open Hcp with Jess Taylor in the saddle. Joe was in the winner’s circle again less than twenty four hours later when Snitz And Straand flew home to win his maiden at Wagga with Quade Krogh doing the honours.
The trainer notched his third winner in four days when Hurricane Coni finished strongly to win a BM58 at Goulburn on October 8th under the vigorous riding of Keagan Latham. On October 13th Galston Gorge and Jess Taylor led throughout to win a 1000m maiden at Queanbeyan to make it four in nine days for the charismatic Joe Cleary. Interesting to note that Galston Gorge and Snitz And Straand carry the well known colours of long time owner Gerry Harvey.
Hurricane Coni (Keagan Latham) arrives late to win at Goulburn 8/10/2024 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Son of multiple Gr 1 Queanbeyan training legend Frank Cleary, forty eight year old Joe has done a tremendous job in his own right to post 418 winners. The first of those was a gelding called Shannon Air in a three horse race at Goulburn in late 1997 with Bobby El-Issa in the saddle. He’s maintained a strong strike rate ever since and currently has 14 Queanbeyan trainer’s premierships on his CV, two short of the tally achieved by his father.
Joe has no doubt Ta Ta Tatiana is the best horse to come through his Queanbeyan stable in his twenty five year career. The daughter of Carry The Crown retired with a record of 51 starts for a whopping 15 wins and 14 minor placings. Her highlights were wins in a Wagga Town Plate, the listed Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm, the $100,000 Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich with Noel Callow and a $60,000 Mares Quality at Toowoomba.
Joe has fond memories of Landlocked who won seven races for the stable after being transferred from Anthony Cummings at Randwick. The Zabeel gelding’s wins included a Queanbeyan Cup, Gundagai Cup, and a Wagga Cup. At one point he put together four wins on the trot. Another expat city horse to land in the Cleary stable with pleasing results was War Jet who won seven races on Joe’s watch, including the $238,000 Magic Millions Country Cup with evergreen Noel Callow up.
48 year old Joe Cleary is following in the footsteps of father Frank. Between them they've won 30 Queanbeyan trainer's premierships - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Cleary Jnr is currently training 18 horses from his Queanbeyan stable with another five being looked after by Shaun Coady at a Moruya satellite operation. One of the most significant appraisals of Joe’s talents comes from his own father Frank. “He’s totally committed and his stables are absolutely spick and span around the clock,” said the veteran. “He’s a very switched on trainer and places them where they can win.”
Joe should keep his eye out for a special delivery from Brindabella Stockfeeds in the near future. Twelve bags of Pryde’s EasiPerformance will soon land in the feed room at his curiously named “Lunatic Lodge” at Queanbeyan. We’ll explore the origins of that stable name another time.
War Jet in one of 7 wins for Joe Cleary - The Registered Clubs Cup at Moruya with John Kissick in the saddle - Courtesy of Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - King Gutho (Jess Taylor) storms home to win at Moruya 4/10/2024 - Courtesy Bradley Photographers.)
