O’HALLORAN DEBUTS CLEVERLY-NAMED FILLY AT HOME

HAWKESBURY trainer Steve O’Halloran isn’t getting his “knickers in a knot”!

He is debuting a King’s Legacy filly named Camilla’s Knickers (Tyler Schiller) at home tomorrow in the Hahn Super Dry Provincial Maiden Plate (1100m), and clearly has a sense of humour.

“I haven’t heard from King Charles III; I’m still waiting for the email to come through,” O’Halloran said this morning.

O’Halloran paid $55,000 for Camilla’s Knickers at the 2024 Inglis Classic yearling sale, and syndicated her amongst a group which includes his wife Stephanie, Fox Sports rugby league presenter Yvonne O’Keefe (Sampson) and his stable star Mal Coupe’s part-owner Kay Stevenson.

“I met Yvonne as Inglis ambassador when she came out and did an interview when we had Nymphadora in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery at Randwick in December 2023 (she ran third at $101),” O’Halloran said.

“She was at the Classic sale a couple of months later, and said she would take a share in Camilla’s Knickers after I bought her.

“Everyone in the syndicate suggested a name and Camilla’s Knickers came out on top.

“She is a big filly and, typical of the breed, needed a bit of time, so we didn’t push her to race as a two-year-old.”

O’Halloran has trialled Camilla’s Knickers twice this preparation, and is pleased with her progress.

“I took her to Wyong on March 5, and she was in the last of 13 heats on a messy track by the time that came around,” he said.

“Camilla’s Knickers went around and handled it okay to finish third.

“Then she trialled again at home 18 days later and ran second in a 1000m heat on another rain-affected track.”

O’Halloran says Camilla’s Knickers has kept improving from jumpouts to trials, and is ready to go to the races.

“This will be a good starting point for her, and there’s still a bit of improvement to come,” he added.

O’Halloran has nominated Mal Coupe for Saturday’s Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m), to be run at set weights plus penalties at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Mal Coupe has done a terrific job for his connections, winning six of his 14 starts (including five in a row), and last raced when fourth in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28.

“He is ticking over nicely, and the three weeks between breaks will suit him,” O’Halloran said.

One of Camilla’s Knickers rivals tomorrow will be another debutante Final Nomore (Chad Lever) for multiple Group 1 winning Hawkesbury trainer Garry Frazer.

Frazer bought the Toronado four-year-old for $3500 at the 2023 Inglis HTBA yearling sale, and says he named the gelding because he considers he is the last yearling he will buy.

“I’ve got eight horses in work, and it’s getting harder,” Frazer, who has had only four runners this year and also starts Gorshin (Lever) in the Clarendon Tavern Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m), said.

Fellow Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan is another Provincial Maiden rival with Smoke ‘N’ Darts (Jay Ford).

“He had a throat operation as a young horse, but has shown enough to win at least a race with him,” Ryan said.

“I did nominate him for Wyong on Thursday and he has drawn awkwardly tomorrow, but ran second at Hawkesbury on debut on March 26, so we’ll chance our arm and stay at home.”

Ryan also runs Queen Regent (Ford) in the HRC Motel 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m), and Missie Lee (apprentice Emma Ly) in the TAB Agents Association of NSW Class 1 Handicap (1000m).

Strawberry Impact was second reserve for last Saturday’s $1m PMC Final (1400m) at

Royal Randwick and, after missing out on a start, will line up in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday en route to his home track’s big day on May 2.

. This is Hawkesbury’s last meeting before the annual Saturday stand-alone metropolitan meeting on May 2, and the rail is 5m out from the 1100m to 450m and in the TRUE position for the remainder.

Course manager Digby Nuthall at 8am today posted a ‘Soft 5’ rating for the seven-race program which begins at 1.25pm. A total of 3mm of irrigation was put on the track in the previous 24 hours, and overall 10mm in the past seven days. No rainfall has been recorded.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, APRIL 13, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS