ON A Domeland-sponsored day, what better than their sole representative getting the money!
Wyong trainer Sara Ryan could have run Aix En Provence at Hawkesbury on Tuesday, but understandably waited a couple of days for the DOMELAND – GAZILLION BUBBLES CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1600m) – and it paid off.
With regular rider Grant Buckley sidelined, Kerrin McEvoy gave Aix En Provence (3.60) a faultless ride, getting him away first from an inside draw, then taking a trail on the fence and having only to go around fellow Wyong representative, Damien Lane’s Externus ($10).
The Shalaa three-year-old, a $160,000 buy at the 2022 Inglis Premier yearling sale in Melbourne, edged away from Externus in the closing stages, with French import Barazin ($12) a luckless third, unable to be fully tested for the majority of the straight.
“He is a very honest boy, who has never been out of a place (seven starts for two wins and five placings),” Ryan said of Aix En Provence.
“The winkers seemed to make him fight that bit harder today.
“This is only his second preparation. I’ll see how he pulls up, but he might go for a spell.”
Ryan is enjoying clearly her best season in only her second full year of training. Aix En Provence was her 24th winner, double last year’s tally.
Unfortunately for connections and punters who backed $1.75 favorite It’s A Wonder, who was never really a winning prospect and finished fifth, she bled from both nostrils and incurred the mandatory three months’ ban.
GODOLPHIN two-year-old Last Druid’s breakthrough victory in the DOMELAND THANKS STABLEHANDS MAIDEN PLATE (1000m) revived memories of the recently deceased champion Lonhro.
The Brazen Beau colt is the sixth foal of Lonhro’s sister Shannara (by Octagonal), a four-times winner, including the Dark Jewel Classic at Scone in 2011.
Giving gun stable apprentice Zac Lloyd a double (he had scored earlier on hotpot Euromaster), Last Druid ($2.20 favorite) gave away a year’s age but was still good enough to defeat three-year-olds, debutante Patience Is Virtue ($3.60), and well-backed Brokerage ($3).
The trio had the race to themselves in the straight, and it was Last Druid who had the drop on the placegetters and was strongest to the line.
“He’s got a classic look about him,” said Godolphin spokesman, former champion jockey Darren Beadman.
“Last Druid is still learning his craft, but changed stride when he got out into the clear on straightening and charged to the line with purpose.
“We put a tongue tie on him because he was a bit thick in the wind after his last trial at Warwick Farm 10 days ago.
“That was only his third start and first since February.”
ZAC Lloyd’s earlier success on $1.35 favorite Euromaster in the DOMELAND SUPPORTS EQUIMILLIONS MIDWAY MAIDEN PLATE (1350m) ended the lightly-raced four-year-old’s frustrating run of four previous seconds.
And he made no mistake, giving him a perfect ride, getting away from the fence at the right time to enjoy the run of the race and thus allowing him to build momentum.
Euromaster was too strong at the end for Can Expect Greater ($9), who began awkwardly and lost several lengths, and Steve Schofield’s Elusive Mission ($41), who was having her 25th start and indicated perhaps a win isn’t far away with a stout finish, though beaten clearly.
Warwick Farm trainer Ron Leemon, who won the 2011 Group 1 Golden Rose with Manawanui, secured Euromaster for $20,000 at the 2021 Inglis HTBA sale in Sydney.
Lloyd afterwards had a “tip” for connections. “I think he will benefit from some headgear to switch him on a touch,” he said.
WHEN you’re hot, you’re hot!
Sydney apprentice Molly Bourke came off a Warwick Farm double a day earlier to repeat the feat.
She scored on La Belle Claire ($3 favorite) in the DOMELAND CONGRATULATES LES STARKEY FOR 30 YEARS SUPER MAIDEN PLATE (1600m), and four races later picked up a replacement mount from fellow apprentice Angus Villiers on OSMAN ($4), who landed the DOMELAND RACING BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1350m).
Bourke took La Belle Claire to the front, and was never headed.
The Highland Reel three-year-old filly was strong through the line and easily defeated Dalio ($9.50) and Ample Time ($18) in an all-Warwick Farm result.
“We were a bit concerned La Belle Claire might find the 1600m a shade too far, but Molly took bad luck out of the equation,” co-trainer Martha Cave said.
“That win hopefully will give the filly plenty of confidence.”
Osman, a five-year-old by American Pharoah, has won eight races – and this was his first at the provincials.
“He is a very honest horse, and looked well placed,” said Mudgee trainer Mack Griffith.
“Osman had a few issues last time and trained off, but we sorted them out and he’s really good this time in work.
“With his pedigree, he should be a Sydney Saturday horse, but we’re happy to poke along and take each race as they come.”
Osman, last year’s Parkes Cup winner, defeated recent Wyong winner Bonus Tempus ($8), who would have made matters interesting had he got clear earlier.
Steve Schofield’s nine-times winner Mosht Up was a late withdrawal from this race with a near fetlock injury, and her trainer advised RacingNSW stewards she would be retired.
NEWCASTLE’S star apprentice Dylan Gibbons is becoming something of a front-running specialist.
He has won two races recently at Wyong and Hawkesbury on the Kembla Grange-trained Verbek by leading throughout, and turned in another beauty on Tenniel ($6) in the DOMELAND SUPPORTS THE NATIONAL JOCKEYS TRUST CLASS 1/MAIDEN PLATE (2000m).
The Annabel Neasham-trained three-year-old daughter of Tarzino might have a bright future as a stayer.
She ran second last preparation over 2000m at Queanbeyan, and was never going to lose this race.
Tenniel was having only her fifth start, and followed an excellent first-up fourth over a shorter 1600m at Wyong on June 13.
She had a clear margin to spare at the finish over $3 favorite Lygon Street, who chased hard and didn’t stop trying.
PUNTERS were on the mark early when they backed Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Mostro ($3) to defeat $2.60 favorite Pink Shalala in the SKY RACING 3YO MAIDEN HANDICAP (1350m).
Jockey Regan Bayliss ensured there was no chance for excuses by taking the three-year-old to the front, and he was never seriously threatened.
Try as Pink Shalala did in the straight, she could not overhaul Mostro, who broke through at his fourth start.
“Mostro has always shown some ability, and ran second to a smart filly (Arctic Glamour) at Rosehill Gardens last September at only his second start,” stable spokesman Neil Paine said.
“I think he’ll get further; his dam (Allaboutus) won up to 1800m at Randwick.”
ICONIC Newcastle trainer Paul Perry and Hawkesbury apprentice Zac Wadick combined to win with favorite Curcl Curl at Newcastle on June 15, and did it again, this time with Cosy Corner in the DOMELAND WISHES PARRY SOUND AN ENJOYABLE RETIREMENT BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1000m).
Whilst Cosy Corner ($4) was crowded for room soon after the start and did a good job to score, Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan’s runner-up Drama Dodger ($13) caught the eye.
Drama Dodger was slow to begin and came from last on the turn with a determined burst on the inside to go under narrowly.
The heavily-backed $2.50 favorite Morpheus Bragi (Jason Collett), with 62kg topweight, struck trouble on a couple of occasions before finishing seventh.
Stewards reported a veterinary examination did not reveal any abnormalities other than a small speedy cut to the off-fore cannon.
