OSMOND’S JOY AT STAKES BREAKTHROUGH TINGED WITH SUSPENSION

BEN Osmond’s triumph on talented mare Harlem Queen in Hawkesbury’s feature race yesterday evoked both joy and disappointment.

The joy arose as the Newcastle apprentice notched his first career stakes success in the $200,000 Evergreen Turf Ladies Day Cup (1500m) on the $21 chance for Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle.

However Racing NSW stewards later took some of the thrill off achieving that by handing him a suspension.

Osmond pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding, with stewards ruling that near the 400m he permitted Harlem Queen to shift out when insufficiently clear of Private Legacy, which was carried out into the running of Manzoice.

As a consequence the latter horse had to be checked.

Harlem Queen finished strongly wide on the track to edge out Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker’s Well Timed ($5) and $26 chance Territory Express, who made an excellent return to racing.

It was only the now four-year-old mare’s second start this preparation following a Brisbane winter campaign which had to be aborted after only one start.

Group 2 placed against her own sex in the Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 1, Harlem Queen started favorite in the Listed Princess Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm 25 days later, and her rider was subsequently charged with careless riding when he shifted out abruptly on her entering the straight.

She finished 11^th and had a laceration to her off foreleg, consistent with being galloped on. It could have been a whole lot worse however, and Doyle immediately pulled the plug and spelled her.

Harlem Queen was Osmond’s 125^th career winner and 13^th for Doyle; second only to his master, leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, for whom his tally is 34.

Harlem Queen, who sports the Calibre Racing colours, was a $180,000 purchase at the 2023 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast.

Her victory at Hawkesbury boosted her earnings to almost $500,000.

Trainer Paul Niceforo was stoked with Territory Express’ return after all the work which has been put in to mending his barrier manners.

“Drawing an inside barrier probably cost us the race,” Niceforo said. “He had to make his run on the inside in the straight, and the first two home were on better ground out wider on the track.”

Provincial trainers Dale Wagstaff (Newcastle) and Anthony Mountney (Kembla Grange) both struck a winning note at yesterday’s Goulburn meeting.

Wagstaff took the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1600m) with Zartamay ($9), who has hit a purple patch of form.

Ridden by apprentice Jordan Quince, this was the Smart Missile gelding’s third win – all on country tracks – from his last four starts.

Mountney made it two in a row with lightly-raced Exceedance filly Eternal Ember (apprentice Ryan Bradley) took the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1100m) as a $3.20 favorite.

Eternal Amber fetched only $8000 at last year’s Inglis HTBA yearling sale in Sydney.

Story John Curtis, November 9, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos