BUCHANAN’S YOUNGSTER A STAYER IN THE MAKING

IT was no barrier at all!

Kristen Buchanan’s decision to go to town at Warwick Farm today with a promising youngster rather than head to the final meeting of the season at Scone tomorrow paid a handsome dividend.

The Wyong trainer was thrilled to see her soon to be three-year-old Tambeloa ($14) upstage some more experienced rivals in the Maiden Handicap (1600m) for two and three-year-olds.

Ridden by Jay Ford, Tambeloa at only his third start defeated Victorian visitor Rasp ($2.90 favorite) and Newcastle three-year-old Dollars ($12).

Buchanan also accepted with Tambeloa in a Class 1/Maiden Plate (1600m) at Scone tomorrow, and gave a lot of thought to which race she should run the colt in.

“It’s a pretty strong race at Scone with a number of horses who have already won engaged, and Tambeloa drew barrier 13,” she said this evening.

“He drew one at Warwick Farm, and I felt it was worth having a go in town.

“I’m sorry for Jenny Duggan, who rode Tambeloa on debut when placed at Newcastle last month, and she has done a lot of work with him on the track.

“She absolutely loves this horse, and Jay (Ford) also likes him, and rode him at his second start when placed at Hawkesbury 10 days ago.”

Ford didn’t hold back on his assessment of the colt after unsaddling following today’s race.

“He is going to make a nice stayer; that is obvious,” he said.

A $60,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase at the Gold Coast last year, Tambeloa is the 10^th foal of the Rock Of Gibraltar mare Gamble Me, who won six races in Sydney and Melbourne – two at Group 3 level and two in Listed grade.

“I’ll see how Tambeloa pulls up as to whether we push on for now,” Buchanan said.

“I will have to talk with the owners and plan where to go with him in the new season.

“You never know. He might be a Derby horse.

“Tambeloa has a great brain, and given the opportunity I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one or two by the stallion.”

Buchanan is finishing the season with a flourish, scoring with five of her last 18 runners (Tambeloa, Justice Warrior, Oakfield Neptune and Stylebender twice).

And she says she is at peace with her training venture, having decided to go back to being a boutique stable.

“At one stage I had up to 50 horses in work over the last couple of years, but just wasn’t comfortable,” Buchanan said.

“Sitting in a box clocking all those horses at trackwork in the mornings wasn’t me.

“I’m so much happier cutting back to a team of 25. It’s more hands on and it’s working.”

Buchanan’s victories with Stylebender at Kembla Grange last Saturday and Tambeloa today lifted her to 25 for the season – two ahead of fellow Wyong trainer Sara Ryan in the local trainers’ premiership.

But she isn’t counting her chickens, with tomorrow’s Scone fixture to close the season.

“No way,” she said. “I have only one starter (debutante She’s So Fly, Jenny Duggan in the 900m Maiden Handicap), and Sara has a few runners (including odds-on favorite Charleroi).

It’s definitely not over.”

HOOFNOTE: The Scone meeting fell victim to the weather, meaning Buchanan is her home track’s leading trainer for 2024-25.

Story John Curtis, July 30, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos