THE Leyland brothers have nothing on Theresa Bateup.
The hard-working Kembla Grange trainer has “travelled all over the countryside” with her horses in the last week and a half.
“In nine days I went to Gosford, Nowra, Albury, Goulburn, Wagga, Moruya and Port Macquarie,” she said.
“Albury (where Bateup had success) and Port Macquarie were my two longest trips.
“I haven’t been home much at all.
“But you have to be prepared to travel to place your horses as best you can.”
Bateup won her 12th race of the season when Champ De Fleur (Shaun Guymer) won a 1400m Maiden Handicap at Albury on February 24 at $11.
She is on the move again tomorrow, this time with recent midweek city winner Tartana in the third Provincial-Midway Championships (1400m) Qualifier at Hawkesbury.
Bateup’s most successful jockey Jess Taylor, who has ridden 86 winners for her, partners the five-year-old mare, who has been a consistent performer for the stable.
From 17 starts, she has won four and been placed eight times, and earned a shot at the PMC series with her latest victory in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m) against her own sex at the Australia Day public holiday fixture at Warwick Farm on January 27.
Unfortunately, she lost a shot returning to the enclosure that day, and her trainer had to back off her for a while.
“Tartana does race well fresh, but I’m sure she will take improvement from the Hawkesbury race,” Bateup said last night.
“She is a tough mare who wants to be a racehorse, and that takes her a long way.
“If Tartana doesn’t qualify for the Final (worth $1m at Royal Randwick on April 12), we’ll go to our home Qualifier (1400m) on March 22 (for provincial-trained horses only).”
Bateup has a second string to her PMC bow in another four-times winner, four-year-old Direct Fire, who is also being aimed at the Kembla Grange Qualifier.
Direct Fire at his latest start won the Bega Cup (1600m) at the Sapphire Coast on February 2.
Bateup is yet to have a PMC Final runner, but says a Saturday metropolitan class horses is needed to win it.
Her now retired pair, Direct Fire’s older half-sister Crackalacka, and Vain Invader, both went close to making the 2023 and 2024 Finals.
Crackalacka finished third in a 2023 Qualifier at Kembla Grange, and Vain Invader also ran third in a Newcastle Qualifier last year.
The first two placegetters at Hawkesbury qualify for the 15-horse Final, with the “last chance” Wild Card (1350m) at Wyong on March 29 providing all three placegetters with berths on April 12.
Story John Curtis, March 7, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos
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