DRINKS ALL ROUND ON DINGLE GREY

IT’S a sure bet John O’Connor will buy himself a carton of Dingle Gin this week!

Gosford trainer Jake Hull challenged his major client to do so when his three-year-old filly Dingle Grey won her first race – and that happened at Wyong yesterday.

Ridden by Newcastle apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, Dingle Grey ($4.80) was too classy for her 2 & 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m) rivals at only her second start.

Dingle Gin is a premium Irish craft gin produced in the Dingle Distillery in County Kerry Ireland, and won the World’s Best Gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards.

O’Connor named his filly after the product, and she is another homebred by his stallion Red Henno, who also sired last week’s Armidale winner Diva Rouge for the Hull-O’Connor combination.

But whilst the gin is obviously world class itself, it’s been a long, slow road to get to yesterday with Dingle Grey.

“I’ve always had a nice opinion of her, but she did everything wrong on debut at Port Macquarie last October when she gave away a big start and did a remarkable job to finish second,” Hull said today.

“We gave her a break after that, brought her back in and Shannen won a 3YO Maiden trial (900m) on her at Hawkesbury on February 24.

“I was confident she could win at Scone on March 20 in a Showcase Super Maiden (1000m), but she rubbed against the float on the way there and had to be scratched (Hull ran second in the race with $31 chance Redzero).

“Thus we had to wait and find another suitable race, and Shannen gave her a great ride yesterday.

“She is riding really well, and has always given our horses every chance whenever we put her on.”’

Llewellyn stalked the leading pair yesterday on Dingle Grey, and the filly quickly put paid to her rivals after straightening.

She won easily from Reign’ Em In ($2.70) and Wyong trainer Allan Kehoe’s Pressiaire ($14), with $2.15 favorite Billabong a fading fourth.

“Dingle Grey has pulled up well, and defijnitely has more improvement to come,” Hull said.

Perhaps John O’Connor won’t stop atop at buying just ojne case of Dingle Gin?

HAWKESBURY trainer Michael Vella had two unproductive attempts at qualifying Cosmeena for Saturday’s $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

So the hobby trainer went back in grade and to a track where this mare had been successful at earlier this preparation – and another victory was the result.

Though the win wasn’t a surprise, her starting price of $7 certainly was.

Superbly handled by apprentice Deon Le Roux, Cosmeena put paid to her rivals in the straight and defeated $3.90 favorite Ocean Chill and $31 roughie Bonus Tempus.

Cosmeena, a four-year-old daughter of Cosmic Force, has been an excellent performer for Vella and his wife Barbara Anne, who operate a duck farm at Londonderry.

From 15 starts, she has now won four races and earned nearly $150,000.

Vella prepared Cosmeena with only a solitary barrier trial to score first-up at Wyong on February 21 in a Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).

She carried 58kg that day, and then finished eighth to short-priced favorite Matcha Latte in a Provincial-Midway Qualifier (1400m) at Hawkesbury on March 7, and then ninth to Midnight Opal in another 1400m Qualifier at Kembla Grange a fortnight later.

They were set weights Class 5 Plates, and it was quite a drop back in grade at Wyong.

Vella put blinkers back on Cosmeena, and she obviously appreciated the gear change.

“Yes I was really surprised at what good odds she was yesterday,” a delighted Vella said today.

“Her coat was gleaming, and she was back at a track where she has won at.

“Deon (Le Roux) gave her a lovely ride, and it was pleasing to see her return to the winning list.”

Vella was looking for an apprentice to lessen Cosmeena’s 58kg, and didn’t have to look far.

“I remembered Deon riding another horse of mine Belgrano when he ran second (for fellow Hawkesbury trainer Darryll Kell) at Queanbeyan in January when he was a 4kg claimer,” he said.

“I thought he rode well enough that day, and decided to book him for Cosmeena.

“His 3kg claim came in very handy yesterday, and he gave her every chance.

“She did the rest, and now we will have to look for another suitable race in the coming weeks.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, APRIL 5, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS