“BANDIT” TO BE A WAGGA WAGGA GOLD CUP ENTRY

KERRY Parker will monitor Flying Bandit’s progress in the next few days before confirming a Wagga Wagga Gold Cup start on Friday.

Parker wasn’t disappointed with his talented four-year-old’s fourth as favorite to Les Vampires at Royal Randwick yesterday when he stepped up in grade in the Benchmark 94 Handicap (1800m).

“Jay Ford gave Flying Bandit a great ride, but he was a little bit dour staying at the 1800m,” he said today.

“He kept grinding away, but didn’t have the same finish as he did when he won over the same distance at Hawkesbury (in a Benchmark 78 Handicap) at his previous start.

“Obviously 2000m would have been more suitable.

“Flying Bandit has come through the race well. He ate up overnight.

“I’ll nominate him for Wagga and see how things shape up.”

Parker has never had a runner in the $200,000 Listed Gold Cup (2000m), for which entries close at 11am on Monday.

Whilst Flying Bandit was beaten, Parker at least had some joy at Newcastle with his lightly-raced filly Elivina ($4).

Ridden by Chad Lever, the three-year-old daughter of Saxon Warrior took the Super Maiden Plate (1500m) at only her second start.

Coincidentally, as with Flying Bandit, she is raced by a Proven Thoroughbreds syndicate and also was purchased at an Adelaide Magic Millions yearling sale (for $170,000 in 2023).

“We’ve taken our time with her, and she is heading the right way,” Parker said.

“I was pretty confident she would be hard to beat because her debut run at home when third in a 1400m Maiden (at $41) on April 15 was excellent.

“She is still learning, but Chad was positive yesterday and put her into a position from where she was able to break through.

“Both her and Flying Bandit pulled up really well from their respective races.”

. Meanwhile, Hawkesbury trainer Terry Croft broke new ground with his first Canberra winner yesterday.

And he pulled the right ren – though not specifically by design – in heading to the nation’s capital to saddle Rainagain ($4.80), who took the Class 1 Handicap (1300m).

Croft also had Starros ($16) resuming at Royal Randwick, where the five-year-old finished sixth to $1.80 favorite Sunrise in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).

The trainer’s wife Roslyn and son Shane race $7000 yearling buy Starros, who has won four races; two of them when resuming.

“Because Shane is in Starros, I left him go to Randwick and I went to Canberra,” Croft said today.

Ridden by Billy Owen, who declared 1kg overweight at 58.5kg, Rainagain defeated Miss Emma ($6) and Kembla Grange trainer Joe Ible’s Sturty ($4.80).

Croft is the Charge Forward gelding’s third trainer, having previously been with Blake Fitzpatrick and Mitch Beer.

He took him over last year, and has now prepared him for both his career victories.

Rainagain broke through in a 1300m Orange Maiden last September after placings at Bathurst and Tuncurry.

“Rainagain is no champion, but he was in the right race at Canberra,” Croft said.

“I’ve had a few placings on the course proper, so it was nice to break through.”

Rainagain, bred by one of his owners, was Croft’s only runner at the Canberra meeting – and his seventh winner this season.

He decided on a gear change with the gelding at the start of this campaign.

Croft removed the Norton bit, and substituted a cross-over nose band.

Story John Curtis, April 27, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos