10YO MARVEL WHO HAS A WILL TO EXCEL

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 straight and pipped Goofinator ($5) on the post in the Benchmark 64 Handicap, a heat of Wagga Stayers’ Series.

The result was even better as Ponsonby didn’t think Will To Excel had arrived in time.

“I thought he had just been beaten, so it was a lovely surprise when his number went in the frame,” Ponsonby said today.

“Mathew gave him a great ride, saving valuable ground on the inside and coming out only when he needed to in the straight.

“Will To Excel was the best stayer on the day.”

A son of noted sire of stayers High Chaparral, Will To Excel has started 63 times for eight wins and 13 placings.

Purchased online for $8000 as a tried horse in April 2021, Will To Excel and eight-year-old Philipsburg (a $20,000 buy the previous year) have been Ponsonby’s stable stalwarts since he switched from straining and driving standardbreds to training thoroughbreds.

He has won six races with Will to Excel, and 10 with Philipsburg (including four in Sydney and two in Brisbane).

Though Will To Excel hadn’t started since an unplaced run at the Sunshine Coast on July 25, his trainer didn’t take credit for having him ready to score first-up at 2400m.

“It’s him,” he said. “He is such a clean-winded horse, and is a real family pet.

“Our eldest son Henry can do slow work on him. He is no fuss at all.

“Will To Excel looks after himself, and no doubt it has much to do with his longevity as a racehorse.”

Ponsonby is looking to head back to Wagga with Will To Excel on Friday week for the 3200m Mountaineer Cup, another heat of the Stayers Series.

“Provided he runs well again, we’ll be off to Warrnambool once more for the Jericho Cup meeting on November 30,” he said.

“Will To Excel enjoys all the travel.”

This significant event on Australia’s racing calendar to be run over a marathon 4600m honours the Australian Light Horsemen and their magnificent horses, The Walers, for their heroic deeds in the Middle East from 1914-18.

Staged at Warrnambool since 2018, Will To Excel has been a fixture at the meeting for the last four years.

He ran fifth at $5 in 2021, seventh at $26 the following year, and 13^th at $61 last year.

Will To Excel didn’t make the Cup field in 2023, but still contested the “consolation” Highweight over a shorter 4065m, and ran fourth as an $18 chance.

Newcastle trainer Steve Hodge has had only a handful of runners in the early part of the new season, but broke through with a victory at the Wauchope non-TAB meeting.

Hodge won the Maiden Plate (1000m) with Kermalicious ($2.30 favorite).

The four-year-old daughter of Kermadec, ridden by Ben Looker, faced only four rivals and win No 1 came up at her 15^th start after three placings.

Story John Curtis, October 19, 2025