BRAD Widdup is confident his dual Group 2 winner Savvy Hallie is ready to prove herself at both 1400m and achieve Group 1 glory in the process. Hawkesbury’s leading trainer, understandably thrilled with Savvy Hallie’s defeat of hotpot Apocalyptic in yesterday’s Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at set weights at Royal Randwick, is ready to give the sometimes unacclaimed filly her chance to rise to the top at racing’s elite level in Saturday week’s $750,000 Surround Stakes (1400m),

ASH Morgan could have blown the cobwebs out coming back from suspension with a couple of rides at Canterbury last night. But the Newcastle-based jockey’s manager Drew Smith was firmly on the side of him resuming out of town at Taree yesterday. It was wise advice indeed. What better way than to return with a first time “fabulous five”! Morgan’s winners Stern Dispute ($1.50), debutante All Torn Up ($2.25), Dollars ($2.50), Cashaway Gold ($2.60) and Satono Invader ($1.45) all we

KRIS Lees is looking to begin his quest for a sixth Provincial-Midway Championships title at Hawkesbury on Thursday. The leading Newcastle trainer has nominated a couple of his “girls” Imposant (above) and Miss Busslinger for the opening $150,000 Qualifier to be run over 1400m. The first two placegetters automatically qualify for the $1m PMC Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11 on Day 2 of The Championships. Imposant, after winning a Kembla Grange Qualifier, ran a grea

NEWCASTLE apprentice Shannen Llewellyn is in for a busy but hopefully exciting time tomorrow. Not only is she seeking her first metropolitan Saturday winner – and at headquarters at Royal Randwick - but also coming “home” afterwards to try to win the closer at Newcastle. Llewellyn’s master, trainer Nathan Doyle, has entrusted her with the mount on her recent city debut winner Duvana in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m). Her 3kg allowance will lessen the Australian Bloodstock-

STEVE O’Halloran waited a week, he’s got the champion jockey on his side and a good barrier to boot. Decent rain if it arrives would be the icing on the cake for Mal Coupe’s return at Royal Randwick on Saturday as he strives to extend his picket fence to four wins. Nonetheless, the skilled Hawkesbury horseman believes his young sprinter will still be hard to beat even on a good surface. Mal Coupe resumes in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1000m) with James McDonald aboard,

BRAD Widdup is leaving nothing to chance in his bid to add a second Melbourne Group 1 to his resume. Hawkesbury’s leading trainer has sent his top sprinter Jedibeel to Melbourne early for Saturday week’s $750,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield. And he has got in early to book Melbourne gun Damian Lane for the mount. Widdup’s breakthrough Group 1 winner was with Icebath in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) against her own sex at Flemington in 2022, when partnered by another

IT might not be a “rough ride” after all! Not every syndicate member was too enamored with the choice of Gravel Road as the name for a young horse by Capitalist from Highway. But the now three-year-old’s Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan is confident it will eventually sit well with every owner after his debut victory at his home track today. “Everyone in the syndicate had a vote on names, and Gravel Road came out on top,” Buchanan said this evening. “Not everyone was happy with

MATCHA Latte has an interstate mission at Flemington on Saturday in a race which will have a major bearing on his autumn target. Wyong trainer Nacim Dilmi, who prepares last year’s Provincial-Midway Championships Final winner, decided to send the gelding to Melbourne for The Elms – a 1400m Open Handicap. He is understandably excited as Matcha Latte will be his first runner at his old stamping ground, having looked after Godolphin’s Melbourne operation under head trainer James

RULING Provincial-Midway Championships favorite Oui Oui Oui is ready to make an early statement after a brilliant barrier trial performance during the week. Ridden by her race jockey Tom Sherry, the four-year-old daughter of 2019 The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes showed she is bang on track for the series by overpowering her rivals in a 1207m heat at Warwick Farm last Tuesday. Encouraged by her display, Hawkesbury trainer Jason Attard says the mare is ready to chase her fourth w

THEY were winners in respective Benchmark races at their home track yesterday, and now have set their sights on an even loftier goal. Kembla Grange trainers Kerry Parker and Diane Poidevin Laine are seeking to qualify horses for the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11. Whilst the Championships are nothing new to multiple Group 1 winner Parker, the 2026 renewal of the annual series will be a first for Poidevin Laine. Parker clinched

FOUR TIMES city winner Lady Extreme begins what may be her last campaign at Royal Randwick tomorrow. And the six-year-old mare’s Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan has set his sights on securing black type with her before the curtain comes down. Lady Extreme resumes in the Benchmark 94 Handicap (1000m) for what Ryan is hoping will be a lengthy though spaced out preparation, including the Brisbane winter carnival. Whilst Lady Extreme (Jay Ford) lines up in the closer at Randwick, f

GOSFORD’S talented four-year-old Ferinzo is ready to take the next step and make his city debut. Trainer Jake Hull this morning confirmed the next target for the lightly-raced gelding following his impressive performance at his home track. Ferinzo’s career was put on hold because of a fractured pelvis, but he is now the winner of three of his four starts – and unbeaten from two so far this campaign. A $2.10 favorite, Ferinzo defeated recent debut city winner Astronomix ($2.50

WILL it be second time lucky? Hawkesbury husband and wife trainers Mitch and Desiree Kearney through a mix-up missed out on snaring a $400,000 Pink Bonus with their filly Sheeza Diva at last year’s Inglis Millennium at Royal Randwick. But they’re back this year – and there are no mess-ups this time with Oh Yes She Did in Saturday’s $2m feature for two-year-olds at headquarters. However, whereas Sheeza Diva would have collected the $400,000 even though she finished 13 th , thi

MORE than 16 years have passed by since Paul Murray had a live chance to win a race worth $2m or more. Unfortunately it didn’t end well for the Kembla Grange trainer when his $7 chance Predatory Pricer broke down in the 2009 Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). Predatory Pricer first-up that campaign had won the Group 2 Liston Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and subsequently was placed in two Group 1 contests; third in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield and second to 2007 Melbou

FOR four decades Steve Hart was a “happy snapper”, taking pictures at racecourses here, there and everywhere. Not one to sit idle, Hart is back managing jockeys and has taken on country apprentice Leanne Boyd. One of racing’s most acclaimed photographers, Gosford-based Hart called quits on his business at the end of 2024. But he was more than pleased to answer a request from mature age apprentice Boyd when she approached him at the beginning of last month. “Leanne asked me if

TALENTED Wyong mare Oakfield Jupiter’s return to racing at Royal Randwick on Saturday carries extra significance. It’s not that the hat-trick seeker needs to win to continue on a Provincial-Midway Championships path – but it’s vital as far as jockey Aaron Bullock is concerned. “Aaron will be back on Oakfield Jupiter on Saturday as she has got enough weight (57.5kg) for him to ride her in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m),” trainer Damien Lane explained en route home this afte

CLASSY Newcastle three-year-old Rivellino begins a new campaign at the weekend at the track where he has claimed all his three wins to date. And the colt’s leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees is eyeing the Group 1 Randwick Guineas at Royal Randwick on March 7 as the prime autumn target. The 1600m Guineas, which Lees won with Le Romain (Christian Reith) in 2016, and very nearly again the following year when Invincible Gem (Brenton Avdulla) was pipped by Inference, carries a $1

JACK Pilkington says Alabama State is “like family”. Understandably so given the Alabama Express four-year-old has provided him with his four career victories; the latest at Rosehill Gardens yesterday when he overcame the outside barrier and gave weight to all his rivals. Jockey James McDonald couldn’t get cover on the gelding, who started a $4.60 third favorite in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1350m), but it mattered not as he burst to the front in the straight and score

FABIO Martino never doubted he could get a breakthrough victory in town with Tokyo Star. It’s been a few years in the making, but it came true at Canterbury Friday night. The 33-year-old Hawkesbury trainer put his name up in lights in town when Tokyo Star ($4.60), given a superb Tommy Berry ride, took out the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1900m). It was Martino’s 14 th career success and third with Tokyo Star – and understandably it meant a lot to him. “I have always believed in th

BEN Osmond is switching states to have a crack at south-east Queensland racing as his days as an apprentice draw closer to an end. Osmond will remain with leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, but joins his Gold Coast stable. He flies north today, and will ride Bengal Boy for his boss at Eagle Farm tomorrow in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1600m). “Ben has ridden 128 career winners, including 30 metropolitan and 58 at the provincials,” stable spokesman Danny Greer said this morni