THE “girls” had it all to themselves!
Four Wyong trainers – all of them women – had a blowout at their Wyong Roos Foundation race day at home, winning five of the eight races.
And Kim Waugh, who prepared two of them, forecast a big future for one of her winners, the two-year-old debutant Super News.
At $15, the Your Song youngster (pictured) was super indeed, landing the Coca Cola Europacific Partners and Hospitality Supplies Express 2YO Maiden Plate (1100m).
Despite never seeing the inside rail, Super News stormed to the line to overpower another first starter, the $4.20 favorite Absolute Power.
“I tossed up whether to run him because he drew the carpark,” Waugh said.
“I’ve got a very big opinion of him, but he’s so green and mentally immature.
“I think he is going to be a very good horse.
“He was four deep the whole way, and it was such a good effort.
“Once he got balanced, that’s when he put his foot down and said: ‘See you’.”
Jay Ford rode Super News and also Waugh’s earlier winner Always In ($3.70), who was a shade too strong for runner-up Jo Jo Sun ($6) in the opening event, the Accolade Wines Provincial 3YO Maiden Handicap (1300m).
A three-year-old by Olympic Glory, she was having only her third start, and first since December.
“She is a lovely filly, who was chasing all the way at her first preparation,” Waugh said.
“Now she is learning how to race,” Waugh said.
“I thought she was a bit too far back, so she did a good job.”’
Waugh also was pleased with stablemate Doraskaya, who like Always In, got out of her ground and finished solidly along the inside to just miss third placing.
Along with the Waugh double, fellow Wyong trainers Nikki Hodgson, Kristen Buchanan and Sara Ryan also were successful.
Hodgson scored with Skybeam ($31), Buchanan with Oakfield Waratah ($14), and Ryan with heavily-backed odds-on favorite Chief Conductor ($1.85).
Skybeam, a four-year-old son of Reliable Man, began his career in Victoria and then had three unplaced starts in country NSW before joining Hodgson’s stable.
He ran third first-up over 1350m on his home track a fortnight ago, and stayed at that distance in the Austbrokers and Bishop Collins Maiden Plate on the recommendation of his rider Grant Buckley.
“He still does a bit wrong, so rather than step him up in distance, we decided to keep him at 1350m and he relaxed lovely today,” Hodgson said.
Hodgson could not have wished for a better start to her training career. She has had only 10 starters and won four races; the first being Boho Chick at Port Macquarie on New Year’s Day.
Favorite Little Cointreau ($2.20) was momentarily held up on straightening before getting his chance, but Skybeam surged near the post when he saw the other horse on his inside.
Buchanan produced Oakfield Waratah to post his second win when first-up in the Arcade Trader & Central Coast Kids In Need Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m), upsetting $2.35 favorite Rocstar Boy.
The lightly-raced Dissident four-year-old, raced by long-time client Bruce Mackenzie, shared the lead with fellow Wyong representative Budhwar, then gained a break in the straight and held out the favorite.
Oakfield Waratah at his fourth start had won his maiden back in November, also at the same track and over the same distance.
Winning rider Koby Jennings said it was good to see the gelding’s progression, and that he still wasn’t sure how to use his legs properly to gallop.
Sara Ryan has done a terrific job with the beautifully-bred Chief Conductor (I Am Invincible from the eight times winner Snitzerland, who took the 2014 Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington).
The four-year-old gelding, a $600,000 Easter yearling purchase in 2020, has had several trainers and is really hitting his straps in her care.
He has raced four times for Ryan, never been out of a placing and has now won two on end.
Ryan has 22 horses in racing trim, and rides Chief Conductor in his work.
She said before the race that he had not gone backwards since scoring at Hawkesbury on April 13, and that was confirmed when he carried 59.5kg after Jett Stanley’s 2kg claim to land the Wyong Roos Foundation Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m).
Chief Conductor had to work early after an awkward beginning, then fellow Wyong representative, Rod Bailey’s Mr Bingo ($18), gave him no peace in front.
All credit to the winner, but Mr Bingo was excellent also in trying so hard to finish second.
The remaining three races were won by Team Hawkes with first starter Consenza ($3.60 joint favorite), John O’Shea with Aunt Roberta ($9.50), and Anthony Cummings took the closer with $3 favorite Reginald.
Racing NSW stewards have adjourned an inquiry into Salaasel ($3.60 co-favorite) being severely checked near the 200m in Consenza’s race.
She had to be eased out of the race and finished 10th, 12 lengths from the winner.
Pierro filly Aunt Roberta made it two in a row at Wyong, producing another tough staying performance to wear down $2.90 co-favorite The Englishman in the Harvey Norman Commercial & Central Coast Volunteer Rescue Association Class 1/Maiden Plate (2100m).
Stewards also reported that both Gold Witness and Restrictions bled from both nostrils in their respective races, incurring a mandatory three months’ ban from racing.
