McFARLANE’S 200TH AND THEN REUNITES WITH AN “OLD MATE”

GREG McFarlane reached a career milestone on one hand, and reunited with his winningest jockey Jon Grisedale on the other.

Talented four-year-old mare Bremel’s city breakthrough at Canterbury last Friday night rung up 200 wins for the Gosford trainer.

Then he was on the road again yesterday morning to make it win number 201 when three-year-old filly Barsandbi broke through for her first victory at the Kempsey TAB meeting.

“That’s what you have to do to try to win races,” McFarlane said this morning before hitting the highway again to take Salma’s Star to Newcastle.

Though certainly not disgraced, Salma’s Star ($12) couldn’t emulate her stablemates and finished fourth in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m).

Bremel (Tom Sherry) made it four wins from five starts when successful at Canterbury in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) against her own sex.

A homebred by Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, Bremel would be unbeaten but for a forgettable trip to Brisbane in October for her first run back at Eagle Farm in a Benchmark 70 Handicap (1000m).

“Absolutely nothing went right for her in the race that day through no fault of her own,” McFarlane said.

“Bremel had travelled well to Brisbane, and it was a real shame that she wasn’t able to show her wares that day.”

Since returning home, Bremel scored at Wyong on November 16, and followed up with her Canterbury performance.

However, her trainer isn’t sure where he will head with her to chase a hat-trick.

“Much is going to depend on how many benchmark points she gets (the RacingNSW handicapping panel subsequently her rating from 69 to 74),” McFarlane said.

“There isn’t a lot for her in the coming weeks, so I will need to have a good think about what we do next.

“Obviously we’re hoping to get her to Stakes class at some stage.”

With a city victory tucked away safely, McFarlane then decided to head north with Barsandbi for the Kempsey TAB meeting yesterday.

He also had options of starting at Newcastle today or Taree tomorrow – but pulled the right rein as Sandbar filly Barsandbi ($1.35 favorite) bolted home with the Maiden Plate (1000m) at her seventh start.

The filly was ridden by Jon Grisedale, who notched his 27^th winner for McFarlane.

“My initial plan was to run Barsandbi at Newcastle, but she drew poorly with the rail out so far,” McFarlane said.

“Kempsey looked the easier option, and it was good to see her win in the manner she did and also for Jon to ride her.

“We go back a long way when he used to ride work for me when I was based at Rosehill Gardens.

“Jon is now at Coffs Harbour, and I always try to book him whenever the opportunity arises if I take a horse to his area.”

Whilst Newcastle trainer Jay Hopkins had to be content to finish a distant second with Dream A Little ($8) to Barsandbi, he didn’t go home empty-handed.

Hopkins later took the Class 1/Maiden Plate (1900m) with $2.60 favorite Cassie’s Lad.

Ridden by Newcastle apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, the Super One five-year-old clinched the second success of his 23-start career (he has also been placed on seven occasions).

Cassie’s Lad’s first win was at Quirindi on Boxing Day last year in a five-horse Maiden Plate (1600m).

STORY JOHN CURTIS, NOVEMBER 30, 2025 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS