HOME FEATURE LIKELY NEXT FOR WIDDUP’S CLASSY COLT

BRAD Widdup is eyeing a home track feature with high-priced colt Tenenbaum, who impressively shed his maiden status at Wyong yesterday.

A $750,000 buy at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale, the youngster was having only his second start and was the first leg of a winning double for Hawkesbury’s leading trainer, jockey Christian Reith and Mulberry Racing.

Tenenbaum ($5), having only his second start, bolted away with the 2YO Maiden Plate (1200m), and three races later Olivia Twist ($9) made it back to back victories, in the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1350m).

“Tenenbaum isn’t the highest-priced yearling to enter my stable, but he is the dearest I have bought for Mike Gregg’s Mulberry,” Widdup said today.

“He has a great pedigree, and we really liked him at the sale.”

Tenenbaum, a son of champion sire Snitzel, is a younger full brother to last year’s Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat, and is closely related on the dam’s side to thrice Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, who died recently.

Widdup started Tenenbaum’s career in the Max Lees Classic (900m) at The Hunter metropolitan meeting at Newcastle last November, when he ran sixth to Seeiaye.

“I knew the 900m wasn’t suitable, but he had won both his trials and was ready to go to the races,” he said.

“I gave him a break and was getting him ready for the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick at the end of last month.

“He ran well in two trials, but got crook and we had to miss that race and trial him again (which he won at Randwick on March 16).

“It was an interesting assignment yesterday as we took on the recent Black Opal Stakes runner-up Pearl Of Dubai ($1.80 favorite) and I knew there was a wrap on Wyong trainer Kim Waugh’s first starter Oxford Power ($3.90 second favorite).”

As it turned out, Widdup had no need to be concerned about any rival.

Tenenbaum scorched turf in the straight as he trounced Pearl Of Dubai by three and a half lengths.

With the colt’s Maiden win done and dusted, Widdup is looking at the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) at Hawkesbury’s annual Saturday stand-alone meeting on May 2 as the next assignment.

“Tenenbaum is a very nice colt, and I feel the Clarendon would suit him,” he said.

“Some talented two-year-olds have gone through that race in previous years, and I could trial him in between yesterday’s race and May 2.”

Widdup took his season’s tally to 42 – and the Hawkesbury training base to 117 – when Olivia Twist upset Gosford trainer Adam Duggan’s $1.55 hotpot Showtime Shadow in the Provincial Class 1.

Reith stole what proved a winning break on the filly as the favorite was held up for clear running, and she made it two in a row after breaking through at Gosford a fortnight earlier.

“Olivia Twist is a tough filly, and is going the right way,” Widdup said.

“It’s never easy doubling up from winning a Maiden to also winning a Class 1, but she did the job well.

“We’ll look for another suitable race to give her the chance to clinch a hat-trick.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 29, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS