PARKER’S GOOD FEELING WINNING THE BERT LILLYE MEMORIAL

PREMIERSHIP front-runner Kerry Parker said Well Timed’s last gasp victory at Kembla Grange yesterday gave him a “good feel”.

It wasn’t only because the gelding returned to winning form, but also that he had won the A J ‘Bert’ Lillye Memorial Handicap (1200m) at his home track’s feature Kembla Grange Classic meeting.

Lillye, the legendary Sydney racing journalist and Australian Media Hall of Famer, who died in February 1996 at 76 years of age, also served a lengthy period as an Illawarra Turf Club director.

“I had plenty of enjoyable conversations with Bert, and he was always really good to me,” Parker said today.

“He wrote a lot of nice stories about me.

“That gave me a good feel winning the annual race named in his honour.”

Nicconi five-year-old Well Timed ($8.50) posted his sixth career success (along with nine placings) at his 25^th start after a stirring duel in the straight with fellow Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price’s Monte Kate ($4 co-favorite), who was chasing a hat-trick after two recent Canterbury wins.

He had not win since early September in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) at Royal Randwick, and it no coincidence that Nash Rawiller has been aboard in his last four victories.

“The leader (Monte Kate) had a comfortable run out in front, and was always going to be hard to beat,” Parker said.

“Monte Kate and Well Timed had a great battle in the straight, and you know when Nash gets a sniff 30 metres from the finish, he can lift them over the line.

“I was pleased to see Well Timed get back into the winning list as he is an awkward horse to place.

“There’s no set plans for him during the autumn carnival.”

Well Timed’s success was Parker’s ninth at Kembla Grange this season, extending his lead to two wins over Team Price and co-trainers Mitch Beer and George Carpenter in the local trainers’ premiership.

Whilst Parker understandably enjoyed his Bert Lillye Memorial win, fellow Kembla Grange trainer Joe Ible was the same after his lightly-raced filly Cabbucio had earlier landed the Provincial Maiden Plate (1400m).

“Is there another Friday feature provincial meeting next week?”, Ible asked, referring to the fact that he had also won with Barrengarry at last Friday’s Newcastle Stakes program at Broadmeadow.

Ridden by Jean Van Overmeire, Cabbuccio ($4.40 joint favorite) defeated another co-favorite, Team Price’s Zougotme.

This was only Cabuccio’s third start, and her trainer is excited about her progress – as he is with Barrengarry.

“We haven’t rushed the filly, and I’m sure she is going to get better as her distances are increased,” Ible said.

“Provided she continues to do that as I expect, the Brisbane winter carnival features for three-year-old fillies are in the offing.

“Cabuccio is the only horse in my stable by Too Darn Hot, who is a great stallion. I wish I had more.”

Ible put a tongue tie on the filly before her first-up third in a 1200m Super Maiden at Nowra on February 22, and she appreciated another 200m yesterday.

Ible also is pleased with Cabuccio’s stablemate Barrengarry, whose third start also produced a breakthrough in a 1600m Provincial Maiden at Newcastle last week.

“Barrengarry has come through that race well,” Ible said.

“He will go to either a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill next Saturday, or we might wait a week and give him his chance there in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) against his own age.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 14, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS