BUCHANAN’S “HELLOVA” WAY TO NATURE’S METRO BREAKTHROUGH

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KRISTEN Buchanan was determined to stick to her guns!

The Wyong trainer’s commitment to riding tactics led the way for a metropolitan breakthrough with Hellova Nature in Brisbane on Saturday, and very nearly gave her a two-State double.

Before Hellova Nature ($10) stormed home at Doomben to take the No Metro Wins Handicap (1350m), stablemate Tambeloa ($4.80) was ironically edged out by a Brisbane visitor All Kinds Of Folk ($4.40 favorite) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m) for three and four-year-olds at Royal Randwick.

Whilst understandably disappointed to go so close with Tambeloa, she took great satisfaction in continuing Hellova Nature’s brilliant form this campaign.

But it wasn’t that way at the gelding’s first campaign after Calibre Racing switched him to Buchanan from Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle.

He had seven starts for his new trainer without placing, but is a different proposition altogether this time with three wins and as many placings from his last six starts.

“I knew from Hellova Nature’s trackwork that if conserved he had a good turn of foot,” Buchanan explained today.

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“He drew some bad gates last time and raced up on the pace, but it didn’t suit him.

“I stuck to my guns this time, and as a result he is showing really good ability.

“He was a bit unlucky last time at Rosehill Gardens when narrowly beaten in a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m), and the winner Cold Brew came out and won again at Randwick yesterday before Hellova Nature’s race.

“All the more surprising that he still went out at double figures at Doomben.”

Patiently ridden from a wide draw by Stradbroke Handicap winning jockey Taylor Marshall, Hellova Nature unleashed an unbeatable burst when taken to the outside on straightening.

Buchanan has had good success previously travelling horses to Brisbane (Hellova Nature won recently at the Gold Coast), and says she has had considerable assistance from Eagle Farm trainer Lindsay Gough.

“I reckon I’ve got the gist now of sending horses to Brisbane,” she said.

“Hellova Nature went up on Thursday night, and Lindsay was a real help in looking after him.

“I sent him to Brisbane because he is best on drier tracks, but he’ll come home and we’ll find another suitable race in a few weeks.”

Tambeloa will remain in work, and get another chance in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m) at Randwick on Saturday week.

“I feel he would have won yesterday had he settled for another 200m, but he’s learning and getting better and the winner was a year older.”

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Buchanan has scrapped plans to have a crack at Thursday’s $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) with Stylebender.

“I have been keen to go, but it looks like coming up a pretty strong race,” she said.

“We’ll stay home and go to Rosehill instead on Saturday for a 2400m Benchmark 78 Handicap.”

.Fellow Wyong trainer Kim Waugh also was in the winning list, at Newcastle on Saturday.

Waugh’s promising three-year-old Free And Fast (Rory Hutchings) did a splendid job to take the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) under his 60.5kg topweight after $31 outsider Angara had broken up the field, bolting out with a big lead before tiring to finish last.

In the process, Free And Fast ($3.40), initially purchased in New Zealand as a yearling in 2024 and sold online for $80,000 earlier this year, clinched a hat-trick, proving himself a Broadmeadow specialist.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JULY 13, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS