KEMBLA STAR READY FOR WELL EARNED BREAK

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BARRENGARRY is likely to spell after another excellent performance in defeat at Royal Randwick yesterday.

A strongly supported $2.80 favorite at his maiden open company test, the Kembla Grange four-year-old was beaten by the more experienced Travolta ($15) in the $750,000 Listed Sydney Gold Cup (1800m).

“He ran great again, and never gave up,” trainer Joe Ible said today.

“The winner just had the drop on him.

“There is potentially one more race, but probably we will spell Barrengarry and look ahead to next year.

“He has done a terrific job for us, and I’m sure he will come back even better after a rest.”

Barrengarry has never finished further back than fifth in any of his nine starts to date, and his four wins and three placings have earned $367,600.

A pretty tidy return on the $10,000 he cost as a yearling!

Whilst Ible missed out yesterday, he is heading back to headquarters on Tuesday with Cabbucio for the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1800m).

Ible thought long and hard before making a race morning decision to withdraw the mare from a shorter 1500m Benchmark 78 Handicap at Randwick yesterday.

“I feel the 1800m on Tuesday will suit Cabbucio better, she has drawn really well and Coriah Keatings will claim 3kg on her,” he said.

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This brings the mare in with 52.5kg – 3kg below the limit.

Cabbucio is a $3.60 favorite with TAB.com.au, just ahead of last start Kembla Grange winner La Morra (Chad Schofield), who will carry 4kg more.

. Wyong trainers Kim Waugh and Mark Sues were successful with long-priced horses at yesterday’s provincial meeting at Newcastle.

Waugh won the CG&E Maiden Handicap (1300m) with Hidden News at $21, and Sues claimed the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1300m) with $61 roughie Sabi Storm.

Senior jockey Andrew Gibbons rode Hidden News, and 4kg claiming apprentice Matt Kirk partnered Sabi Storm.

Hidden News, a three-year-old Stay Inside gelding, was having his third start – and all have been at Newcastle.

He is the first foal of Great News, with whom Waugh won five races.

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Great News qualified for two Provincial-Midway Championships Finals in succession, but an injury forced her to miss out in 2021, and she ran fifth to Kinloch in 2022.

Sues paid $6000 online in April this year for Lord Kanaloa four-year-old Sabi Storm after he was a $200,000 yearling in 2024.

This was only his second start for his new trainer after coming from a leading Victorian stable, and he obviously relished sporting blinkers again.

Kembla Grange trainer Ross McConville also struck a winning note at Newcastle, scoring with C’mon Flyer ($6.50) in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1900m).

Jockey Chad Lever got the Trapeze Artist gelding home in the nick of time from Ring Ahoy ($10).

STORY JOHN CURTIS, NOVEMBER 1, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS