Month: March 2024

Hawkesbury duo Brad Widdup and Edward Cummings dominated the $150k Provincial-Midway Championships Qualifer, with Widdup’s favourite Ausbred Flirt too strong for her opposition & Strait Acer, from the Cummings stable storming home to finish second. 

Both now progress to the $1m April 13 final at Randwick, Ausbred Flirt joining stablemates Short Shorts and Ruby Flyer in the field. 

Widdup’s plan had been to run Ausbred Flirt in the Kembla Qualifier on March 23 but he opted to scratch due to the heavy track. 

The move proved to be a winner, with the Maurice mare primed for a great second up run, four weeks after resuming from a spell in the Group 2 Guy Walter at Randwick on March 2. 

She missed the start in her first-up run but it was a different story at Wyong where everything fell into place courtesy of a great ride by Alysha Collett. 

“It was a bit unfortunate that she missed the kick at Randwick but she still ran super in that first-up run,” stable representative Rosie Jilla said. “It’s been a waiting game to get her back to the races and she’s obviously performed well today.”

Cummings was equally impressed with runner-up Strait Acer.

“I wanted to go back to basics today we were lucky enough to get into the final.  He really savaged the line and it’s great to have him back in form.

“I’m looking forward to two weeks’ time. He’ll be better suited to a big track.” 

In earlier races Damien Lane’s Jameka Money scored a home track win in the 3YO Maiden Plate over 1000m. 

Raced by Lane’s wife Kate, the Press Statement filly was having just her third career start and was second up from a spell. 

She showed a great turn of foot when Grant Buckley took her to the outside in the straight, steaming home to claim a narrow victory. 

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott took out the training honours with a double, apprentice Amy McLucas combining with the partnership to win on Killcare Beachgirl and Star Blazer. 

Another apprentice kicked off the program with a win, the in-form Zac Wadick taking out the 1600m Midway Maiden for Hawkesbury trainer Edward Cummings with Hippy Dreams. 

The $1.90 favourite dominating the field in only his third race start. 

It was another provincial trainer, Newcastle based Nathan Doyle who took out the 1350m Provincial Class 1, with Gago. The Australian Bloodstock four-year-old was having just his second start for the stable and came from the rear of the field to snatch victory on the line, with Ashley Morgan in the saddle. 

The Zoustar gelding, a $65k purchase, was coming off a last start fourth at Newcastle and sent out $4.40 second favourite. 

Randwick trainers John Sargent and Michael Freedman weren’t to be denied, both training winners. 

Sargent’s Coto De Caza outstayed his rivals in the Class 1 & Maiden, to bring up his debut win at start seven, with Keagan Latham at the reins. 

While Michael Freedman’s consistent Snitzel mare Resistible took out the 1200m Conditional BM68, ridden by Rory Hutchings. 

The four-year-old has had three wins and five minor placings from her 15 starts. 

It was the Chris Waller show at Wyong’s mid-week Metropolitan meeting, the master trainer posting three winners on the day. 

The Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou training partnership bagged a double, while jockeys Tim Clark and James McDonald both rode two winners. 

Tim Clark got the party started early for punters in the opener, the 1350m 2YO, with short-priced favourite Just Party getting the job done. 

Gerald Ryan’s Justify colt was sent out at $1.20 and the win never looked in doubt, with Clark giving him a super ride throughout. 

The $110k yearling, was having his second start having been narrowly beaten at Newcastle on debut, and Ryan has a good opinion of him going forward. 

“He got the job done and is still learning,” he said. “He’s a nice horse out of a G1 winning mare. Whatever he does now he’ll be a lot better as a three-year-old.”

Champion jockey James McDonald had no dramas riding the second favourite of the day, Ravenclaw to victory in the 1100m 3YO Maiden. 

McDonald showed his class sitting off the leader in the early stages before giving the Harry Angel gelding his head in the straight and darting clear for a three-length win.

“It was a painless watch,” McDonald said. “He felt really good and is definitely a nice, progressive horse.”

The Chris Waller trained Ravenclaw ($1.70) had been runner up at three of his six previous runs, including a last start second on the Kensington track.

Double Cherry bucked the trend for the favourites, outstaying his rivals in the 2100m 3YO & UP BM78 returning $21.

Trainer Annabel Neasham had been running out of patience with the five-year-old import, who had been well beaten in all three Australian starts. 

She changed up his training resume, putting him over the jumps and the move did the trick, with the gelding breaking through for his first Australian win ridden by Tom Sherry. 

“We gave him a big cheer today,” Neasham said. “It was like he’d won a Group 1. The owners have been very patient and hopefully he will go on with it. I put him over the jumps, thinking we might head to Warrnambool but that’s changed now.”

Chris Waller brought up a double and trained the quinella in the 1600m 3YO & UP Maiden, when Bright Red stormed down the outside to snatch victory over stablemate Hartman on the line. 

Waller had no qualms about stepping the Pierro filly up to the mile after she resumed over 1200m at Rosehill on February 28. 

Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, the stable believes Bright Red should only get better over more ground. 

“We had an opinion of her early, but it’s taken time for her to switch on,” Chris Harwood said. “It was a nice win today but not a surprise. She’s quite adaptable and can relax well. With that turn of foot, it won’t be the last race she wins.”

Gerald Ryan was confident his filly Pajanti would be hard to beat and that’s how in panned out in the 1350m BM72 F&M 3YO & Up.

The $500k yearling made it back-to-back wins following her last start Rosehill victory, defying a betting drift to bring up her second career win at start five. 

The victory bringing up a double for the Ryan/Alexiou stable and jockey Tim Clark. 

“She worked terrific on Saturday morning, and I thought she’d be hard to beat,” Ryan said. “I was surprised she didn’t win last preparation, but she’s gone onwards and upwards since then.”

Chris Waller’s day out continued with McHale in the 1350m 3YO & Up BM78, the Shooting To Win gelding bringing up the stable’s treble. 

Coming off a Warwick Farm win last start, the three-year-old earned strong support and was sent out second favourite, getting the job done courtesy of a great Tommy Berry ride. 

McHale, who was a $160k yearling, has now posted three wins from just six starts and looks destined for much stronger races. 

It was a rough result in the 1000m 3YO & Up BM78, with apprentice Molly Bourke riding tearaway leader and rank outsider No Statement to a dominant victory. 

The Press Statement five-year-old, trained at Hawkesbury by Mike Van Gestel, was having his 52^nd start and brought up win number 12. 

The gelding pinged the gates and Bourke let him have his head early, leading the field by lengths and holding on to win by a length.

Raced by the Van Gestel family, No Statement returned $61. 

Brett Cavanough’s race favourite Once Again My Girl bled for the second time and will now be retired. 

A confident ride by James McDonald helped secure victory for Godolphin’s promising filly Commemorative in the 1200m BM72. 

The daughter of I Am Invincible was resuming from a spell, having raced in black type races over the Melbourne Spring carnival. 

Darren Beadman said they had been confident the filly would race well. 

“She’s a big filly and has grown into her frame now. It all came a bit quick for her in her first preparation, but she had trialled well coming into this.”

The win brought up a double for James McDonald. 

It took until late in the program for local trainers to make it to the winner’s circle at Wyong today, with Kristen Buchanan’s Gardenzio getting the job done in the 1600m BM68. 

In a great afternoon of racing, in front of a healthy mid-week crowd, Randwick trainers dominated the program, while Tyler Schiller took out the riding honours with a double. 

Buchanan has a good opinion of four-year-old Gardenzio, who’s win made it back-to-back victories on his home track. 

Local apprentice Anna Roper partnered Gardenzio, giving him a super front running ride to bring up his third career win, all three on the Wyong track. 

“It was a real master stroke ride by Anna, “a happy Buchanan said. “The wide gate was a concern and there looked to be a lot of speed in the race, but Anna got to the front quite comfortably and dictated terms. 

“This horse has taken the next step and that is what you want to see from these progressive gallopers.”

Wyong’s Damien Lane was denied a win earlier in the program in the 1200m CG&E BM64, when his gelding Wealthy Investor was run down on the line. 

Tommy Berry, aboard the favourite Panic, put in a well-timed ride, storming down the outside to snatch a narrow victory. 

Panic, trained at Randwick by Michael Freedman, is putting together an impressive resume, with three wins from just five starts. 

John Thompson’s classy filly Hellbent On You broke through for a well-deserved win in the 1300m Midway Maiden. 

The Randwick trained three-year-old had been placed in three of her seven previous runs but had been racing without luck. 

That changed with the help of a great ride by Chad Schofield, Hellbent On You pulling way for an effortless five length win. 

Anne Maree Mulligan, representing the Thompson stable, said it was great to see the filly put it all together.

“She’ll likely head to the city now and hopefully get more wins up.” 

John O’Shea continued a winning afternoon for Randwick based trainers, when Cross Your Heart dominated the 1200 F&M BM64.  The three-year-old was a $280,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase and is living up to her expensive price tag with two wins and a second from her three starts, all on the Wyong track.

She was a last start Wyong winner and was again ridden by jockey Tyler Schiller.

Forewoman Sophie Johnson said the three-year-old had been given a three week break since her last start and come back in really good form. 

“We were excited to see what she could do today, and she got the job done well,” Johnson said.

It was a three-way photo in the 1350m BM64, with Hawkesbury trained Navios getting the nod on the line to post his second career win. 

Apprentice Zac Wadick, who recently moved to Hawkesbury teaming with leading trainer Brad Widdup, partnered the four-year-old to victory.

Trainer Ed Cummings had been confident Navios would race well, in only his second win for the stable. 

“He was well rated in this race, looked good and had worked well at home.”

Two races later Widdup was in the winner’s circle with his colt High Dandy, who made short work of his opponents in the 1600m Super Maiden. 

The colt by Ace High brought up a double for Tyler Schiller. Having only his second race start, High Dandy was coming off a fourth at Kembla on February 29. 

He was well supported by punters and was able to put almost five lengths on his rivals on the line. 

Fellow Hawkesbury trainer Stephen O’Halloran also bagged a winner, with Jaex too strong in the 1000m BM64. 

Mitch Bell partnered the four-year-old mare who was resuming from a spell. 

Jaex has been in great form since joining the O’Halloran stable with two wins and three placings from her six starts. 

Randwick based Peter and Paul Snowden’s debutant Cassiel continued a winning week for their stable which included the Listed Canberra Guineas and Group 3 Black Opal. 

The three-year-old colt was well favoured by punters on the strength of four previous trials. 

Kerrin McEvoy gave Cassiel a confident ride on speed ride, managing to hold out one of the outsiders of the field, Moncarolia on the line. 

Randwick based Snowden’s continuing a super afternoon for the training base.