LLEWELLYN’S PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE PAYING OFF

SLOW and steady wins the race!

It’s a well-worn proverb Shannen Llewellyn is adhering to – and it’s working for the 24-year-old Newcastle apprentice.

Llewellyn, who has been riding for not quite two years, lifted her winning tally to 108 when she clinched a two-track double for Newcastle trainer Dave Atkins, on $4.20 favorite Rockbarton Angel at Broadmeadow yesterday.

That was her 20^th success this season – including a dead-heat on her master Nathan Doyle’s Caltsar at Newcastle’s Boxing Day meeting last month – and now she is hoping to post a city breakthrough at Warwick Farm tomorrow.

Llewellyn will ride Doyle’s Australian Bloodstock-raced Duvana in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m); her 3kg allowance lessening the gelding’s weight to 56.5kg.

She was aboard Duvana in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m) win on the Beaumont track on December 13 at his first start since joining Doyle’s team.

Llewellyn, who also rides Cassie’s Angel and Super Freds for fellow Newcastle trainer Jay Hopkins at Warwick Farm, obviously would be thrilled to make her mark in town.

Irrespective, she isn’t planning to be riding on a regular basis there just yet.

Llewellyn transferred from then Bendemeer (now Mendooran) trainer Jane Clement in mid-winter last year, initially on loan, in an attempt to progress her riding career.

“I honestly didn’t expect to already have had such good success in little more than seven months,” she said today.

“Provincial racing isn’t easy to crack. It’s very hard, and so it’s slow and steady as far as I am concerned.

“But I’m working hard and really happy with how things are going.

“However, I want to focus on both getting myself established at the provincials and reducing my allowance down from 3kg before I worry about going to town more often.

“Nathan (Doyle) has been a terrific support, and giving me chances.

“Hopefully, I can reward him by winning on Duvana tomorrow.”

Llewellyn went to Wyong today to ride local trainer Tracey Bartley’s Hydrometer in the McGrath Foundation Women’s Invitation (1300m), but RacingNSW stewards called off the meeting after four races had been run due to the prevailing hot conditions which presented a heightened level of risk to the welfare of horses scheduled to run in the last three events.

Wyong trainers Nacim Dilmi and Kristen Buchanan each won a race before the program came to an early conclusion.

Dilmi made it 18 career victories (all this season as Domeland’s head trainer on the Central Coast) when $3.60 favorite Bellevue (apprentice Anna Roper) just staved off Gallahop ($7.50) in the Midway Class 1 Handicap (1600m).

All Too Hard four-year-old Hard Jakka (Jay Ford) led throughout in the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1350m) at $10 to easily upset fancied pair Oakfield Universe ($2.20 favorite) and Cold Mist ($3.50).

Hard Jakka was having only his sixth start and third this campaign, and gave Buchanan her 329^th career success.

Llewellyn’s victory on Atkins’ Harry Angel mare Rockbarton Angel in the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m) yesterday followed the trainer’s success earlier in the day with Promitto (Nash Rawiller) at Royal Randwick.

An $8 chance, Promitto carried his 61.5kg in grand style to post his fourth win (three have been in town), defeating Kingston Charm ($6) and Walking Painting ($7) in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m).

Like Atkins, leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees also clinched a double – but his two winners were interstate.

He scored with Enterprise Private (Daniel Moor) and Power Of The Brave (apprentice Ben Osmond) at the Sunshine Coast Saturday metropolitan fixture.

Enterprise Private ($6.50) made it three on the bounce in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (2200m), whilst Power Of The Brave remarkably was sent out at $9 in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m) in spite of his previous Royal Randwick victory over the same distance.

Lees also made it two in a row in Queensland with import Zaphod (Andrew Mallyon) in last Friday night’s Gold Coast Mayor’s Vase (2050m) at the Gold Coast.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JANUARY 25, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS