O'HALLORAN’S WISE MOVE GETS NYMPHADORA AN OVERDUE WIN

STEVE O’Halloran could easily have stayed at home with Nymphadora yesterday and run her at his home track meeting.

Instead the Hawkesbury trainer bypassed the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m) and chose to head down the highway to Goulburn today – and it proved a wise move.

Ridden by Keagan Latham, Nymphadora ($10) overcame an awkward start to take the Class 2 Handicap (1100m).

She pulled clear in the closing stages to defeat Borderfall ($2.90) and Willingham ($21).

Remarkably for a mare who as a two-year-old ran a cracking third at $101 in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Royal Randwick in December 2023 at her second start, this was only her second success.

“Something always seems to happen with her,” O’Halloran said before heading home.

“Nymphadora has been unlucky in quite a few races.

“I felt that the roomy track at Goulburn would suit her better than going around at home yesterday, and she was dropping back to country grade.

“She isn’t a big mare, and doesn’t like being bustled in her races.

“After being a bit slow to jump, Keagan gave her a great ride by saving ground near the inside and getting clear running at the right time.

“Hopefully that win will give her confidence to win a couple more.

“She definitely races best being kept on the fresh side.”

Nymphadora’s only previous victory was at home in a Super Maiden (1100m) in April last year when also a $10 chance.

O’Halloran was rapt with the first-up performance of his stable star Mal Coupe on resumption at Royal Randwick last Saturday.

At his first Group 2 test, he ran seventh to outstanding mare Tempted in the $1m Concorde Stakes (1000m), beaten only three lengths.

“I thought they might outsprint him at the end, but he hit the line strongly and has bounced out of the race well,” O’Halloran said.

“However, I don’t think we will go to the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick next Saturday as that will be just as strong, if not stronger, than the Concorde.

“Rather we might wait for a Benchmark 94 Handicap (1200m) at the Epsom Handicap meeting at Randwick on October 3, or a Benchmark 100 Handicap (1000m) at Warwick Farm two days later.”

Nymphadora was O’Halloran’s second winner of the new season, and the 21st for the Hawkesbury training base.

Whilst O’Halloran was the sole provincial winner at Goulburn, two provincial trainers and three Newcastle jockeys enjoyed success at the corresponding Tuncurry Cup meeting.

Newcastle’s Paul Perry won the Maiden Plate (1200m) with Sun To Me ($5), and Gosford’s Adam Duggan made it two in a row with Erina ($3 favorite) in the Class 2 Handicap (1600m).

Ash Morgan won the Big Dance Eligibility Tuncurry-Forster Gold Cup (1600m) on $14 chance Dubai Warrior for Sydney trainer Matthew Smith, clinching the feature for a second year running.

He scored last year on the Ciaron Maher-trained Lugh ($2.70 favorite) on a heavy track, and Dubai Warrior’s last gasp victory gave him a double today, having scored earlier on Heart Of Jenni ($3.90).

Andrew Gibbons won the Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m) on $4.40 favorite Wandjad, and Aaron Bullock the Super Maiden Handicap (1400m) on $1.45 hotpot Sea Level. STORY BY JOHN CURTIS, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026. PIC BRADLEY PHOTOS