O’HALLORAN HOPING WEEKEND WAIT WILL BE WORTHWHILE

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STEVE O’Halloran had to make the right choice!

The Hawkesbury trainer nominated his stable star Mal Coupe for no less than four races – including one in Melbourne - over the public holiday weekend.

Finally he settled on staying home to run at Warwick Farm tomorrow.

Tyler Schiller will continue his association with the five-year-old gelding in the Monday feature, the Benchmark 100 Handicap (1000m).

O’Halloran entered Mal Coupe, the winner of six of his 17 starts, for both the $1m Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) and Benchmark 94 Handicap (1200m) at yesterday’s Epsom Handicap meeting at Royal Randwick, along with the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.

Mal Coupe was given 63kg topweight for the Benchmark 94, had 58.5kg under the weight-for-age conditions of the Premiere, and 57kg for the Gilgai.

“We were close to going to Melbourne,” O’Halloran said.

“But it would have been his first trip away, and in the end we decided to stay at home to hopefully give him some confidence back.

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“Mal Coupe has run two great races (both in Group 2 company) at Randwick since resuming, in the Concorde Stakes (1000m) on September 5 and The Shorts (1100m) a fortnight later, with Schiller aboard both times.

“He was beaten only three lengths first-up when seventh in the Concorde, and then only one and a half lengths when sixth in The Shorts.

“Mal Coupe gives 110 per cent every time he races, and I didn’t want to ask him to take on the Premiere yesterday against horses such as the winner Tempted, who is Group 1 class.

“He is going super and hopefully dropping back to a Benchmark 100 will allow him the chance to return to the winning list.”

Mal Coupe’s benchmark rating was lifted four points to 100 after his performance in The Shorts.

He has 61kg, but 4.5kg less than dual The Hunter winner Coal Crusher, who has a whopping 65.5kg.

“Mal Coupe has drawn awkwardly at 11 in a field of 12, and all the speed in the race is around him,” O’Halloran said.

In spite of his excellent Group 2 performances this time back, he was at $8 today with TAB.com.au; Ice Kool heading the market at $2.

Mal Coupe will be one of four provincial horses tackling the Benchmark 100.

Fellow Hawkesbury trainer Fabio Martino has Spartus ($341, and Newcastle trainers Kris Lees and Nathan Doyle have Brudenell ($26) and Hidden Motive ($11) respectively.

Reece Jones rides Spartus, stable apprentice Will Stanley claims 2kg on Brudenell, and Regan Bayliss rides Hidden Motive.

Stanley won the Randwick closer yesterday for Scone father and daughter trainers Brett and Georgie Cavanough on $17 chance Wanaruah, narrowly holding off New Zealand visitor Platinum Pantheon, who was also an acceptor for Mal Coupe’s Warwick Farm race, but will not back up.

. Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup was thrilled with his mare Savvy Hallie’s Randwick performance yesterday when runner-up to Tempted in the $1m Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m).

After a setback in winning the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens last month which forced her to miss the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last Sunday, she hit the front before being overwhelmed by the winner.

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“That’s four times we have raced Tempted, and four times she has beaten us,” Widdup said today.

And he may not be able to avoid her again at her next start.

Discussions were underway today about a possible slot for Savvy Hallie in Saturday week’s $20m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick, where Tempted is a firming $6 second favorite against Hong Kong champ Ka Ying Rising ($1.30).

If that doesn’t eventuate, Widdup would like an invite to start the mare in the $2m The Invitation (1400m) against her own sex at the same track a week later.

He won the inaugural running of a relatively new Group 2 feature on the racing calendar with Icebath in 2021.

“Savvy Hallie ($17) went great yesterday, and I’m confident she has further improvement,” Widdup said.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, OCTOBER 4, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS