IBLE GETS LLOYD ON BOARD FOR FOUR PILLARS TILT
WHILST Barrengarry has been brilliantly flying the stable flag, Joe Ible has another potential up and comer waiting in the wings.
And the Kembla Grange trainer has been quick off the mark to book young gun Zac Lloyd for Cabbucio in the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) at Royal Randwick on October 31.
Lloyd has been Barrengarry’s regular partner, riding him in all four of his wins to date.
So it wasn’t surprising Ible didn’t hesitate to seek him for the Four Pillars assignment, especially given eligible provincial trainers don’t often get the chance to try to win half million dollar races, plus the fact Lloyd knows a thing or two about winning the race.
He has already won it twice – on Oakfield Arrow for Wyong’s Kristen Buchanan in 2022, and Kingston Charm for Royal Randwick trainer John Thompson in 2024.
Like Barrengarry (who has raced eight times), four-year-old mare Cabbucio also is lightly raced.
Her seven starts have yielded two wins and four placings – and she was fourth on debut at Goulburn 13 months ago as a $71 outsider at her only unplaced run.
A daughter of Too Darn Hot, Cabbucio caught the eye with a strong finishing third to Philatelic in a Midway Benchmark 72 Handucap (1800m) at Randwick on October 3.
That performance convinced Ible to freshen her and have a shot at the Four Pillars, which in its five runnings has been won by three provincial trainers.
Wyong’s Tracey Bartley (Kiss Sum) and Kristen Buchanan (Oakfield Arrow) were successful in the first two years (2021 and 2022), and Newcastle’s Jay Hopkings scored last year with Sonofdec.
“Zac is definitely riding at Randwick that day (as he has taken the ride on New Zealand mare Well Written in the $10m Golden Eagle (1500m),” Ible said.
“It’s great to have him on Cabbucio in such a big race.”
Lloyd also will continue his successful association with Barrengarry at the same meeting – but Ible is yet to confirm whether it will be in the $750,000 Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m) or a Benchmark 78 Handicap over the same distance.
“I will probably nominate for both races before making a decision,” Ible said.
“Of course it would be nice to win the Rosehill Gold Cup, but we’ll wait and see before deciding which way to go.”
Barrengarry, at his first 2000m attempt, was excellent in his close second to Anthracite in a Benchmark 88 Handicap at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday.
He was raised two benchmark points to 81 by the RacingNSWhandicapping panel following that performance.
“We had hoped to settle closer in the run last Saturday, but Barrengarry drew awkwardly in a small field and Zac went back rather than race wide,” Ible said.
“Barrengarry has come through the race well.
“He is bright and happy, so as long as he stays that way we will continue on with his preparation.”
. Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees was successful at Grafton today with $1.35 hotpot So Fortunate.
Ridden by Ben Looker, So Fortunate comfortably defeated Bravo Six ($8) and Repeat Offender ($4.40) in the Maiden Plate (1700m).
A three-year-old filly by So You Think, So Fortunate was having only her third start.
STORY JOHN CURTIS, OCTOBER 13, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS
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