HAWKESBURY TRAINERS CHASING ROSEHILL CARNIVAL FEATURES

BRAD Widdup is hoping to put a second Group 1 trophy on his mantlepiece, and Steve O’Halloran is chasing a Group 3 breakthrough with his very first stakes runner.

The Hawkesbury trainers will have important representatives at Saturday’s autumn carnival fixture at Rosehill Gardens; Widdup with Savvy Hallie in the $1m Coolmore Classic (1500m), and O’Halloran with Mal Coupe in the $250,000 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m).

Nash Rawiller continues his recent association with Savvy Hallie (55kg), whilst Winona Costin reconnects with Mal Coupe (54kg).

Widdup’s previous Coolmore representative was Icebath (his maiden Group 1 winner at Flemington in 2022) when she ran a close fifth to Brisbane mare Krone in the 2021 edition.

He has been openly critical of the RacingNSW handicapping panel’s treatment of Savvy Hallie, who has risen nine benchmark points to 104 following a victory in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 14, and close second to last spring’s The Everest runner-up Tempted (to Hong Kong champ Ka Ying Rising) in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) there a fortnight later; both against her own age and sex.

Nonetheless, he is pleased with the three-year-old filly’s progress since the Surround, and says the Coolmore is her “grand final” this autumn.

“Most likely we will stop with her after Saturday,” he said today.

In an open Coolmore market prior to Wednesday morning acceptances, Savvy Hallie was sharing $6 second favoritism with Verona Rose behind $4.50 joint favorites Lazzura and Ole Dancer.

Widdup today was uncertain whether he would accept with topweight Jedibeel (59kg) for Saturday’s Maurice McCarten, or wait another week for the $1m Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at the same track.

He said Jedibeel had done well since returning from Melbourne, where he was an excellent first-up fourth from a wide barrier to Tropicus in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 21.

Widdup also is ready to have a crack at Saturday’s fourth Provincial-Midway Championships Qualifier (1200m) at Gosford with lightly-raced three-year-old Young Mister Grace.

The colt has won two of his three starts, and begins a new campaign, having not raced since late October.

“It’s a decent jump in grade of course, but Young Mister Grace is a very nice horse,” Widdup said.

Fellow Hawkesbury trainer O’Halloran has his stable star, four-year-old Mal Coupe (pictured above), ready to chase six wins in a row.

James McDonald has partnered the gelding at his last two Randwick victories, but cannot make 54kg and Costin goes back on.

“Winona has won four races on Mal Coupe, and deserves the chance to ride him again,” O’Halloran said.

“This is my first ever runner in a Group race. I haven’t had one good enough before.

“Mal Coupe galloped 1000m on the Hawkesbury course proper last Saturday morning with a mate, and wasn’t out to make fast time coming down the straight.

“He is happy and well, so he’s ready to step up to a Group 3.”

O’Halloran also nominated Mal Coupe for Friday’s Bert Lillye Memorial Handicap (1200m) at the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic meeting, and McDonald would have ridden him at his allotted 57.5kg.

However, after conferring with Mal Coupe’s owners, it was decided to give him the opportunity to add a Group 3 to his blossoming resume.

Newcastle trainers Kris Lees, Barry Lawrence and Paul Perry all were successful at Taree today.

Lees scored with O’Britzelle (Maiden Handicap, 1250m), Lawrence with Fighting Magnus (Benchmark 66 Handicap, 2000m), and Perry with Ngunnawal (Class 1/Maiden Plate, 1600m).

Stable apprentice Will Stanley rode O’Britzelle, Christian Reith was aboard Fighting Magnus, and Reece Jones had the mount on Ngunnawal.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 10, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS