KEMBLA Grange’s feature three-year-old fillies’ event has eluded provincial stables for the last two decades.
The late Gwenda Markwell was the last provincial trainer to be successful in 2004, with La Nikita, ridden by Rodney Quinn.
A $13 chance, the Desert Sun filly jumped from the second outside barrier in a field of 14 and defeated Timbourina and Touched By God.
Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup is yet to win the $250,000 Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) for three-year-old fillies at set weights and penalties - but it hasn’t been for the want of trying.
Widdup has had five starters in the Classic without placing; the latest being Colours Of Autumn, who ran 12th to Queen Of Dragons last year as a $21 chance.
He recalls running both $51 outsider Icebath (subsequently his maiden Group 1 winner) and $5 third favorite Akari (a Listed winner at Flemington the previous spring) in Asiago’s 2020 edition.
“It was a blanket finish that day and my two were no more than a length from the winner,” Widdup said today.
“The Classic turned out to be a really strong form race.”
Asiago won the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at the Wyong Cup carnival the same year and also was placed in the $1m The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle, whilst runner-up Shout the Bar won the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens at her next start and later that year captured another Group 1 in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
Whilst Widdup isn’t going into tomorrow’s renewal of the Classic with another Icebath or Akari, he is ready to throw Canny Queen (Reece Jones) into the deep end to test her potential, and hopes she can spring an upset.
The daughter of Group 1 Victoria Derby winner Ace High has won three of her seven starts, and two of her last three.
She has been entered for the $1m Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12 on Day 2 of The Championships.
“Obviously it’s a decent rise in class, but I can say Canny Queen is in really good order,” Widdup said.
“There’s basically no other option with her, so this race will give us a good guide where she is at.”
Interestingly, Icebath had won two races (an 1150 Maiden Handicap on the Beaumont track and 1400m Class 1 Handicap at Kembla Grange) when she stepped up to the Kembla Grange Classic, and was beaten less than a length in a very strong race.
Canny Queen’s latest victory was over the Classic 1600m in a Benchmark 64 Handicap at Gosford’s reopening meeting on February 22.
Widdup had three qualifiers without success in last year’s $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Randwick, and is having another crack to get runners into this year’s April 12 Final.
He accepted with former Victorian Money Team for Saturday’s 1200m Gosford Qualifier, but was disappointed to learn the gelding had drawn wide in a big field.
“I’m not sure yet whether he will run,” Widdup said.
Money Team has won all three starts since joining Widdup’s team, and the trainer’s apprentice Zac Wadick, who has been aboard in all of them, again will have the mount if he goes to the post.
General Salute and Miss Busslinger have already been withdrawing from the Gosford Qualifier, reducing the field to 15.
. Group 3 Newcastle Stakes winner Sandpaper has escaped a penalty for the $4m Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 5, for which he has 50kg.
Story John Curtis, March 13, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photoso
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