KERRY Parker has given ruling Provincial-Midway Championships favorite Well Timed the “green light” to begin his campaign at Hawkesbury on Saturday week.
The multiple Group 1 winning Kembla Grange trainer was pleased with how Well Timed trialled at that track this morning, and has explained why he has planned that 1400m Qualifier and avoided two others at Newcastle.
“I have taken him twice to Newcastle, and both times he has been withdrawn at the start,” he said this evening.
“There’s something apparently different about the barriers there, and he doesn’t like them.
“Well Timed only had to run in the first three at Newcastle last year in the Wild Card to get into the Final.
“There was no point risking going back for another Qualifier there, and that’s why I have aimed him to go to Hawkesbury.”
Well Timed hit the line strongly without being pushed out when second to Amusing in the 1000m trial; the third of a marathon 18-trial session.
“He trialled lovely; just what I wanted to see,” Parker said.
“Well Timed has had the three trials now, and is ready to go back to the races on Saturday week.”
Whilst Jay Ford partnered the gelding in this morning’s trial, he rides in town on Saturdays and Parker has to source a new jockey for the Hawkesbury Qualifier.
“Lee Magorrian rides a lot for me at the provincials, and had been on Well Timed in his first two trials and would have ridden him on Saturday week,” Parker said.
“However, he blew a knee out at trials last week and is unavailable.
“Provided Well Timed makes the Final on April 12, Nash Rawiller is his regular rider in town and will be back on him.”
Parker also was pleased with stablemate Flying Bandit’s eighth (beaten only two and a quarter lengths) in the previous 1000m trial.
“That wasn’t his go, but he needed another hitout and made good ground late in the trial,” he said.
“He will go to the 1400m Qualifier at home on March 22.”
. Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle has called up Northern Rivers jockey Ben Looker to reunite with Overriding in Saturday’s second PMC Qualifier (1400m) at Newcastle.
The pair combined to land the Muswellbrook Cup (1500m) run at Newcastle last April before finishing fourth to Gringotts in the Tamworth Cup (1400m).
Looker won the 2018 Country Championships Final at Royal Randwick in 2018 on Port Macquarie-trained Victorem.
“Overriding had no luck at all in the opening Qualifier (1400m) at Hawkesbury last Thursday, and has pulled up well,” Doyle’s racing manager David Dyson said this afternoon.
Doyle’s talented mare Wooloowin will be entered for the $250,000 Group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) at Broadmeadow on Friday week.
“If she doesn’t win that race, she can go to a PMC Qualifier at Newcastle on March 20,” Dyson added.
Wooloowin has won four of her seven starts; the latest an easy victory in the Magic Millions F&M (1300m) at the Sunshine Coast on January 4.
She was ridden then by Jason Collett, who again was in the saddle when the four-year-old mare ran second in a 900m Rosehill Gardens trial last Tuesday.
. HOOFNOTE: Entries for Saturday’s Newcastle Qualifier have been extended until 11am tomorrow.
Fourteen horses, including Wyong trainer Sara Ryan’s talented Cameron Handicap runner-up Matcha Latte and leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ runaway Ballina Cup winner Lord Of Biscay, were nominated before today’s original 11am deadline.
Story John Curtis, February 24, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos
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