“SIXTH SENSE” GETS A HAWKESBURY TREBLE

TWO tracks equated to three winners for Hawkesbury trainers today.

And coincidentally, it had everything to do with horses all having their sixth career starts.

Blake Ryan and Michael Vella scored at Goulburn with Mission Giant and Cosmeena respectively, and Mike Van Gestel was successful at Wyong with Johnny Smash.

It was Ryan’s 10th winner of the season, Van Gestel’s fourth and Vella’s second – and brought the Hawkesbury training base’s number so far this season to 129.

Ryan was understandably pleased to get a breakthrough with Hong Kong-owned Mission Giant ($3.50), ridden by Chad Lever, in the Maiden Handicap (1600m).

And he had former Sydney trainer and now Hong Kong-based Mark Newnham to thank for getting the three-year-old gelding to train.

“Mission Giant was purchased for $135,000 at the 2023 Inglis Premier yearling sale in Melbourne to go to Mark at Royal Randwick,” Ryan explained en route home from Goulburn.

“When he got the opportunity to go to Hong Kong, he recommended me to take over the training.

“Mission Giant is as tough as nails, but still a work in progress.

“He hasn’t learned to put them away, and hopefully further racing will boost his confidence.

“After leading at Goulburn in a 1500m Maiden on April 28, he waited for them and was caught in the closing stages.

“This time the leader didn’t take him far enough and he was left in front too far out.

“If you didn’t know the margin and watched the replay, you would think he was going to win easily.

“He is an easy horse to train, and we’ll look for a suitable Class 1 Handicap now that he has got his first win on the board.”

Having his sixth start, the son of Street Boss defeated Maire De Paris ($5.50) and Magenta Shores ($3 favorite).

Cosmeena, a three-year-old daughter of Cosmic Force, also was racing for the sixth time when she claimed the Class 1 Handicap (1500m) at Goulburn for her second victory.

Ridden by Louis Beuzelin, who also was aboard in her breakthrough triumph at Newcastle last October, Cosmeena ($4.40) burst clear over the last 200m to trounce her rivals, leaving placegetters Annoint ($26) and $2.40 favorite The Professor in her wake.

Hobby trainer Vella and his wife Barbara-Anne run a duck farm at Londonderry, and purchased Cosmeena after seeing her advertised online and being suitably impressed when they went to inspect the filly.

Van Gestel’s Johnny Smash, a homebred by Brave Smash, is the second foal of his five-times winner Cheeky Bella.

Johnny Smash, another having his sixth start, ran second to fellow Hawkesbury trainer Peter Green’s Exothrill in a 1350m Maiden at Wyong last Thursday, and stepped up to 1600m to post his first victory in the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1600m).

On this occasion, the three-year-old was successful at the expense of another Hawkesbury representative, Ed Cummings’ $1.45 hotpot O’Cara Mia.

Johnny Smash (Reece Jones) fought out a stirring duel with runner-up, Gosford trainer Kylie Gavenlock’s Slam Dunk ($19) before getting there on the line. O’Cara Mia was doing her best work late to finish third.

. Newcastle’s Nathan Doyle was the other provincial winner, scoring the day’s most impressive victory at Wyong.

Ridden by Newcastle apprentice Ben Osmond, three-year-old Formal ($2.70 favorite) outclassed his opposition by more than four lengths in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m).

Unlike the trio of Hawkesbury winners, this wasn’t Formal’s sixth start.

He faced the starter for the 11th time after being placed at his previous three runs (two at Hawkesbury and the other at Gosford).

Story John Curtis, May 8, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos