IT’S a pretty good habit to share! Hawkesbury trainers Brad Widdup and Jason Attard are making a practice of winning races at the same home track meetings. For the third time this season they did it again today; the only difference being that Widdup prepared a double. Having defeated all comers last season to become the first local trainer to win the Hawkesbury premiership in three decades, Widdup’s victories with Blue Eyes Brigid ($2.45 favorite) and Diamond Show ($9.50) too

JAMES Ponsonby was prepared to “take a punt” when he noticed an unraced three-year-old by Cox Plate winner Ocean Park listed for sale through Inglis Digital in January last year. Named Drunken Sailor, he had fetched $220,000 when sold as a yearling in New Zealand. At Queanbeyan yesterday, Drunken Sailor clinched his fourth victory for his Hawkesbury trainer and boosted his earnings to nearly $100,000. Not bad at all when it is considered Ponsonby purchased him for only $1250.

CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD is assured of a Melbourne Cup start, and Tim Clark has been booked for the mount. Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees confirmed Sydney jockey Clark’s engagement for the first ever $10m Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday, after arriving in Melbourne late this afternoon. This will be 26-times Group 1 winning rider Clark’s fourth Melbourne Cup. He finished ninth on Knights Order in Gold Trip’s 2022 edition. Changingoftheguard was one of 40 third acceptors

IT’S never a cinch for horses to go straight from a Maiden success to doubling up in a Class 1 next time out. But given local trainer Jason Attard’s track record this season and what his lightly-raced mare Nesrine has overcome, taking tomorrow’s Mental Health Matters Class 1 Handicap (1100m) at Hawkesbury is definitely on the cards. Attard’s four winners in the first three months have all been on home turf; the latest with Nesrine, who strolled home on resumption and at only

TERRY Croft received a pleasant surprise when he took a phone call from Peter Wynne after this year’s Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale. Former Richmond publican Wynne had already purchased a Zoustar filly from Positive Problems for $270,000 for the Hawkesbury trainer, and rang to say he was sending another filly to him. He had purchased an Ole Kirk youngster for $280,000 after she had initially been passed in. That filly races as Thrill Hunter and hoisted the long-servi

ASH Morgan has given Hidden Motive’s connections a glowing endorsement of the colt leading up to his Melbourne debut at Flemington on Saturday. Morgan will partner the talented Newcastle three-year-old in the $2m Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) for three-year-olds on the opening day of the four-day Melbourne Cup carnival. Last start Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes winner Hidden Motive has settled in well since arriving in Melbourne earlier in the week, and got valuable experience of

DAMIEN Lane’s confidence for an overdue return to the city winning list was sapped a little when Oakfield Jupiter drew off the track for her first Sydney appearance at Royal Randwick yesterday. But he need not have been concerned at all. Skilfully handled by Jason Collett, the promising four-year-old mare made a brilliant resumption at her first attempt at 1200m, and took her record to three wins from four starts with an impressive performance in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handi

KRIS Lees has adopted Craig Williams’ advice to put blinkers back on Rivellino for his spring carnival swansong at Royal Randwick tomorrow. Nash Rawiller returns as the three-year-old’s rider in the $1m Group 2 Callander-Presnell (1600m) after Williams partnered the colt when eighth to Autumn Boy in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas over the same distance on October 11. “I took blinkers off Rivellino for the Guineas, and he jumped well,” Lees said this morning. “However, Craig sa

HE’S confident he will do very well! Hawkesbury’s leading trainer Brad Widdup hasn’t hesitated to put Young Mister Grace’s unbeaten record on the line by testing his promising three-year-old in Listed company for his city debut at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Dylan Gibbons, who has ridden the Anders colt in both his victories at Hawkesbury on September 25 (1000m Super Maiden Plate) and October 9 (1100m CG&E Benchmark 64 Handicap), partners him again in the Brian Crowley Stakes

A new date will launch Gosford’s return to racing in a fortnight. The Entertainment Grounds will stage a meeting for the first time in more than two months on Thursday, November 6 – which coincides with Oaks day at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup carnival – after Hawkesbury relinquished its traditional date to move its Ladies’ Day fixture to the Saturday (November 8). Gosford last raced on Friday, August 29 (the club’s only meeting so far this season) after which extensiv

FROM Bedgerabong picnics to the bright lights of Melbourne! It’s been some ride for William Stanley, who has been given the opportunity to win with his first mounts in the Victorian capital at Friday night’s opening meeting of the Cox Plate carnival at The Valley. The former country apprentice, now indentured to leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, continues a successful association with his boss’ gelding Power Of The Brave in the 55 Second Challenge Series 1 Final (955m). Wh

ONLY wet weather will prevent Changingoftheguard from taking on “royalty” in tomorrow’s Geelong Cup. Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has booked Melbourne jockey Ethan Brown for the import in the $500,000 Group 3 Cup (2400m), where the winner automatically gains a “free ticket” into the first ever $10m Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4. Seven of the 10 acceptors at Geelong – where Changingoftheguard takes on King Charles IIII representative Gilded Water – r

MITCH KEARNEY WITH SHEEZA DIVA HAWKESBURY co-trainers Mitch and Desiree Kearney are daring to dream! Come Saturday at Royal Randwick, the husband and wife team will have their first runner in a Group 1 race when Sheeza Diva lines up in the $2m Spring Champion Stakes (2000m). Rachel King rode the three-year-old filly when an excellent fourth at $91 to Shangri La Boy in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens on October 11 and sticks with her, hoping to win the

WINNING country Cups is becoming familiar with Wyong’s newest trainer Nacim Dilmi. Though only a little shy of three months into his role as Domeland’s head trainer, he has already won two – and with a better slice of luck it would read three. Dilmi landed the Bathurst Cup (1800m) on September 14 with Aix En Provence, and added the Cessnock Cup (1850m), now run at Newcastle, to his trophy cabinet yesterday. Ridden by provincial racing’s leading jockey Keagan Latham, Oceanfron

HE’S a 10-year-old marvel who is still winning races, and on track for remarkably a fifth visit to Victoria’s annual Jericho Cup meeting at Warrnambool. Hawkesbury trainer James Ponsonby was entitled to be proud of himself when his veteran Will To Excel clinched a last gasp victory over 2400m on the Wagga Riverside track yesterday at his first start in nearly three months. Ridden by Mathew Cahill, the $19 chance proved the strongest stayer when he made up many lengths in the

HAWKESBURY apprentice Poppie Gorton has wasted no time posting her first double. And the milestone moment in the 18-year-old’s brief career at Bathurst on Friday carried extra significance as both winners were for her master, leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup. Gorton began riding only three months ago, and her first winner (also for Widdup) was a leg of her inaugural double. She was successful on Forcefilly at Goulburn on September 12, and the mare, along with stablemate

Bec Dunn with Anne Janet Hayes EMOTION is described in the Oxford Dictionary as being a strong feeling from one’s circumstances, mood, or relationships with others. As far as Bec Dunn is concerned, it’s been all of that and more this week. The Newcastle trainer’s gamut of emotions have flowed from the lowest of lows to highest of highs in the space of five days. Dunn had a heart-breaking decision to make last Monday to put down the first foal of her maiden city winner and now

WHILST Private Harry is missing from the $20m The Everest, Nathan Doyle still will be strongly represented at Royal Randwick tomorrow. The Group 1 winning Newcastle trainer’s three runners include half-sisters Emalyn and Churchill’s Choice, both bred and raced by Kevin Hill – and Ash Morgan will ride the pair in their Group 3 assignments. Last start impressive Newcastle winner Emalyn tackles the Reginald Allen Quality (1400m), and the year older Churchill’s Choice lines up in

IT’S regarded as the unkindest cut of all! But the decision to geld the now six-year-old Adelaide River during an enforced break could reap a $5m Caulfield Cup windfall tomorrow. Melbourne jockey Jordan Childs will ride Adelaide River, currently a $26 chance for the Caulfield 2400m Group 1 feature. “Adelaide River ran fourth (to Deny Knowledge, Mr Brightside and Atishu) in the Group 1 wfa Might And Power Stakes, 2000m at Caulfield 12 months ago,” leading Newcastle trainer Kri

DUAL State acceptor Rapt is on her way to Melbourne tonight for an important mission at Caulfield on Saturday. The Dynamic Thoroughbreds raced mare will contest the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at the Cup meeting rather than the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m) at Royal Randwick. Rapt drew awkwardly in both races, and Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer readily explained why the Melbourne event was chosen. “Rapt is a half-sister to Peter Snowden’s Sebring mare Tashi (now retired),