BUSY FINISH TO KEMBLA’S RACING YEAR

ILLAWARRA Turf Club is bracing for a whirlwind finish to the 2025-26 season.

Beginning tomorrow the club will host three meetings prior to the racing year’s end on July 31.

“It’s going to be a busy time for sure, and we’re really looking forward to it,” ITC racing manager Zane Campbell said today.

“Tomorrow’s meeting and Saturday week (July 25) will be run on the course proper.

“Our final meeting on Thursday, July 30 will be staged on the Illawarra Grange (inside) track.

“There is another program set for the Illawarra Grange in the new season on Thursday, September 17 (just prior to the two-day Newcastle Gold Cup carnival on September 18 and 19).”

The three meetings to close the season leave both the LOCAL and ALL trainers premierships up for grabs, though Mitchell Beer and George Carpenter are in the prime position to win both in their first full season as a duo.

Team Beer, with 16 wins, has a three-win advantage over multiple Group 1 winning trainer Kerry Parker (pictured) in the race for the local title – and will be opponents in three races tomorrow.

They are:

MIDWAY 3YO MAIDEN HCP, 1200m

Team Beer (Pariah Time, $5; Dylan Gibbons)

Parker (Enchanted Rose, $11; Brock Ryan)

CLASS 1 HCP, 1300m

Team Beer (Rose Of Fenway, $5; Dylan Gibbons)

Parker (Skirmish, $10; Jay Ford)

PROVINCIAL BENCHMARK 68 HCP, 1200m

Team Beer (Heuristic, $5; Siena Grima)

Parker (Let’s Go Again, $3.60 favorite; Olivia Chambers & Equilibrist, $10; Andrew Adkins)

Heuristic was a dual acceptor, has been withdrawn from the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m) and will race in a nose roll, replacing a tongue control and lugging bit.

In regard to the All Trainers’ premiership, Team Beer on 90 points is five ahead of Chris Waller.

The all-conquering Waller has only one runner at the meeting; three-year-old filly Glissando (Grima) in the Maiden Handicap, 1300m – and she is an early $2.70 favorite with TAB.com.au.

. The various premiership standings are:

ALL TRAINERS

(3, 2 and 1 points systems for placings) 

M Beer & G Carpenter 90

C Waller 85

R & L Price 64

M Smith 62

LOCAL TRAINERS

(Number Of Wins Only)

M Beer & G Carpenter 16

K Parker 13

R & L Price 8

D Poidevin Laine 6

T Bateup 4

A Mountney 3 

JOCKEYS

(3, 2 and 1 points system for placings)

K Latham 111

M Bell 84

M Fitzgerald (a) 71

B Ryan 68

J Van Overmeire 63

 APPRENTICES

(3, 2 and 1 points system)

M Fitzgerald 71

M Stapleford 47

Z Wadick 33

C Keatings 21

 HORSE OF THE YEAR

(8, 5, 3 and 2 points system for first 4 placings)

Audenzia (D Poidevin Laine) 45

All Machiavellian (R & L Price) 30

Magical Moments (M Beer & G Carpenter) 26

Century Song (R & L Price) 24

Aisle Two (R & L Price) 22

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JULY 15, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS