POST-RACE REPORTS ON PROVINCIAL PAIR

BRAD Widdup will press ahead with Savvy Hallie, and Nacim Dilmi has another

option with Matcha Latte.

They are the post-race developments from the provincial pair’s resuming performances – one disappointing and the other excellent – at Royal Randwick yesterday.

Premier Hawkesbury trainer Widdup’s Savvy Hallie ($3.30 second favorite) was a totally out of

character last in the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m) against her own sex, whilst Wyong trainer Dilmi’s Matcha Latte ($8.50) was a close third in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m).

Widdup was at a loss to explain four-year-old mare Savvy Hallie’s failure in the Toy Show.

RacingNSW stewards reported a post-race vet examination of the mare revealed her to be 1/5 bilaterally lame in both forelimbs. But Widdup said Savvy Hallie was fine this morning.

“The only thing I can put her run down to is that she isn’t comfortable first-up at 1100m,” he said.

“Whilst she won first-up 12 months ago, that was in a 900m 3YO Maiden Plate at Newcastle. Then she resumed at the Gold Coast in the $3m Sunlight Plate (1100m) at the Magic Millions carnival at the Gold Coast in January and ran fourth (stablemate Nashville Jack was second at $71), then next start won the Group 2 Light Fingers (1200m) at Randwick."

“I was happy with her going into yesterday’s race; all her lead-up work was excellent. And she paraded well before going out on to the track. Provided Savvy Hallie continues to do well, we will press on to the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens in three weeks.”

Widdup will be hoping for better fortune when his talented Snitzel colt Tenenbaum opens his three-year-old season at Canterbury on Wednesday against his own age in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m).

Chad Schofield has partnered Tenenbaum when placed in both trials at Warwick Farm on August 4 and 18, and will ride him at his resumption.

Meanwhile, Dilmi was rapt with last year’s Provincial-Midway Championships Final winner (and third this year) Matcha Latte’s effort in the Show County.

“That was very exciting from a future viewpoint,” he said today.

“The 1200m was short of his best, and Ash Morgan rode him well. He was beaten only a half-length, and by two seasoned horses. I was a bit concerned at the 800m whether he would tire at the end, but he fought on really well."

“Matcha Latte has pulled up well, and he will go four weeks into his next start.

“That will be in either the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle on September 18, or Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick a day later.

“Both races carry ballot-free exemptions for the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 3, and there’s every chance we will put in a nomination for that race.

“The Bill Ritchie winner also isn’t penalised for the Epsom.”

Matcha Latte’s career has been plagued by injuries, and Dilmi says the seven-year-old gelding is very sound at present and thus he is able to train him properly without being cautious.

Multiple Group 1 winning Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker took the closer at today’s Goulburn Cup meeting.

Skirmish ($21), ridden by Cup winning jockey Jay Ford, narrowly defeated Overshadow ($5) in the Class 1 Handicap (1400m).

This was city winner Skirmish’s third start but career ninth since joining Parker’s team.

There are three provincial representatives in tomorrow’s McQuillan Tuncurry Cup Prelude (1500m).

Hawkesbury trainer Fabio Martino has Substantial (Jean Van Overmeire), and Newcastle pair Paul Perry and Jason Deamer have Rothrock (Will Stanley) and Tact (Ash Morgan) respectively. The Prelude winner secures a “freer ticket” into the $100,000 Big Dance Eligibility Tuncurry-Forster Cup (1600m) on September 11. STORY BY JOHN CURTIS, AUGUST 23, 2026. PIC BRADLEY PHOTOS