TRAINERS TRAVEL IN SEARCH OF WINNERS

SUCH can be a trainer’s lot!

Between them Gosford’s Jake Hull and Hawkesbury’s Fabio Martino have covered plenty of territory in the last few days in search of a winner – and one each has been forthcoming.

Hull went to Hawkesbury on Sunday, Kempsey yesterday and was at Newcastle today, whilst

Martino also was at today’s Newcastle meeting after going south to Nowra on Sunday and west to Orange yesterday.

The former landed his fifth success of the season (and career 38th ) when Zouking led home a stable quinella at Kempsey yesterday, and Martino’s victory with Doutelle at Orange was his third this season and career 12th.

Zouking ($1.26 favorite) defeated his stablemate Rubinsky ($13) in the Maiden Plate (1000m) at Kempsey, and Hull understandably was thrilled with the result, especially as both were having only their second starts and first since lengthy breaks.

Zouking, a Zousain four-year-old, hadn’t raced since making his debut on February 3 when third in a 900m Muswellbrook Maiden.

Rubinsky was away from the track even longer. She had not started since October 28 last year when also third in a Quirindi Maiden (1100m) against her own sex.

“Both Zouking and Rubinsky went really well,” Hull said today.

“Zouking out of the blue kicked a fence at home, and Michael Griffiths (Gosford Race Club vice- chairman) and myself had to rush him to Sydney for urgent surgery. He ruptured a joint capsule, and obviously needed plenty of time off to recover."

“I gave him only the one trial leading into Kempsey, and it looked a good race to give him a ‘kill’. He is a nice horse, and has plenty of improvement to come."

“Rubinsky also was super, and won’t be long getting her maiden out of the way.”

Valilee, another of Hull’s promising young horses, pulled up well after finishing second to Runranirun at Hawkesbury last Sunday in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m) at his first run this campaign, after winning his first two starts at Gosford and Hawkesbury in winter.

“I wasn’t disappointed at all with his run,” Hull said.

“He was beaten by a nice horse on the day who had race fitness on us and 3kg less. They ran the last 800m in 46 seconds and last 600m in 32.9s.”

Hull also finished second with $2.20 favorite Lord Vettori in the closer on the Beaumont track today.

Martino, meanwhile, was just as pleased to get Doutelle ($6.50) home for his first win under his banner.

Ridden by apprentice Ella Drew, the Olympic Glory six-year-old defeated $3.40 favorite Jimmy Manolo and fellow Hawkesbury trainer James Ponsonby’s Will To Excel ($3.50) in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (2100m).

Ironically, Doutelle began his career with Jimmy Manolo’s Sydney trainer Matt Smith.

Martino purchased the gelding online for $2750 in March last year.

Smith won a 1600m Maiden at Wyong in June 2023 with Doutelle, and Martino has now broken through with him at his 10 th start for his current trainer.

“Doutelle has run seconds at Mudgee in October and Bathurst in November over 1850m and 2000m respectively, and it was good to see him win his first race for us,” Martino said.

“We didn’t pay much for him, and that win has put us in front. Ella’s 2kg allowance gave Doutelle a decided weight advantage over Jimmy Manolo (7kg) and Will To Excel (9kg).”

Martino, who has 20 horses on his books, also finished third with Tokyo Star ($4.40) on the

Beaumont track today, but opted not to start All Star in the CG&E Maiden Plate (1150m) on the soft track.

A $1.2m Inglis Australian Easter yearling last year, the three-year-old had three unplaced starts for Chris Waller in Sydney before being sold online in May for $60,000.

Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle produced Farnan three-year-old Heroic Deed ($5) for a winning debut on the Beaumont track today.

Ridden by Ash Morgan, Heroic Deed finished gamely to defeat Dirty Summer ($9.50) and $1.45 hotpot Mega Pixel in the race All Star was to have run in.

The newcomer was a $120,000 purchase at last year’s Adelaide Magic Millions yearling sale.

This was Doyle’s 19th winner of the season and a career 329th . Story by John Curtis, 16 December, 2025.