AS TOUGH AS HIS LEAGUE LEGEND NAMESAKE

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HE’s named after New Zealand and Sydney Roosters legend Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

And he showed at his home track today that he has the same toughness as the former rugby league hardman, now a Fox League analyst.

Lightly-raced Waerea, easily the day’s shortest-priced favorite at $1.22, overcame a hairy moment near the 250m when trying to get clear running and became hemmed between the leader and eventual runner-up Ribble Lace ($31) and Galactic Force ($19) in the Elite Sand & Soil Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1300m)..

Jockey Chad Schofield quickly escaped the jam, and Waerea went on with the job to post his second win (along with four seconds) from seven starts.

“Really he has never run a bad race,” said trainer Brad Widdup this evening of his four-year-old half-brother to Hawkesbury’s now retired triple Group 1 winner Duais.

“And he’s still improving.

“I wanted to see him do that today, and I’m sure he will take further confidence from it.

“Waerea is ready to go to town now for a suitable race.

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“I’d like to win a couple more with him, and then put him aside for a crack at the Provincial-Midway Championships next autumn.

“I feel he would be an ideal type for that series.”

Waerea was Hawkesbury’s premier trainer’s second victory in the new season, following on from a benchmark 67 in the racing year recently completed.

It was also his 487^th overall success as he edges toward a career 500.

Along with Waerea’s performance under 60kg topweight, Widdup also was pleased with the debut of Savabeel filly Latest Flame ($5.50) in the De Bortoli Maiden Handicap (1100m).

Owned by New Zealand’s famed Cambridge Stud, the three-year-old ran third to another debutante, four-year-old mare Vain Temptress ($5.50), who overhauled $3.20 favorite Union.

“I will probably give Latest Flame one more run, and then stop with her,” Widdup said.

“She is a nice filly.”

Latest Flame’s rider Schofield was permitted to declare 0.5kg overweight, but was fined $200 by RacingNSW stewards when he returned to scale after the race 1kg over.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, AUGUST 11, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS