TWO’S company, three’s a crowd!
All-conquering trainer Ciaron Maher has decided to rely on Detonator Jack and Berkshire Shadow in today’s $250,000 Group 3 Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m).
Maher, chasing his first feature success at Hawkesbury to add to his burgeoning list, has withdrawn his third acceptor Nugget, uncertain about track conditions if rain arrives later in the day.
With Nugget’s withdrawal, joint topweight Detonator Jack (Josh Parr) is now a pronounced $3.40 favorite with TAB.com.au, ahead of Berkshire Shadow (Dylan Gibbons) at $8.
Victorian visitor Just Folk ($8) and Welwal ($8.50) were the only others under double figures.
Maher decided to reserve recent Doncaster Mile fourth Nugget for the $200,000 Listed Scone Cup (1600m) on Friday week.
With Nugget an absentee, Friday’s Waga Cup winning rider Tyler Schiller has gained the Cup mount on co-topweight El Bodegon, one of trainer Chris Waller’s four starters.
Waller, who prepared last year’s Cup quinella (New Mandate and Desert Icon), also runs Bold Mac (Reece Jones), Welwal (James McDonald) and Madame Pommery (Tom Sherry).
Emergences Williamsburg, Rebel Rama and Ruby Flyer have missed Cup runs.
Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has decided to run both Razeta (Sam Clipperton) and Willinga Beast (Dylan Gibbons) in the $250,000 Group 3 Pioneer Services Hawkesbury Crown (1300m).
Lees had been uncertain about starting Razeta, but is banking on some forecast rain arriving prior to the Crown at 2.15pm.
Razeta is unbeaten from two starts on heavy ground, and hasn’t been far away at her last two runs in Benchmark 88 and 78 grade at Rosehill Gardens on “Good 4” surfaces.
Willinga Beast, also adept on heavy ground, is coming off a seventh to Territory Express in the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 13.
RacingNSW stewards reported she had to be checked 150m from the finish when unable to secure clear running when another horse shifted out slightly.
“Willinga Beast has trained on well since the Final,” Lees said.
“If she can get some luck from the draw, I’m sure she can be very competitive.”
Lees is yet to win the Hawkesbury Crown, but has been runner-up twice with Romare (2006) and In Her Time (2020).
Though he doesn’t have a runner this year, he has won the Listed XXXX Hawkesbury Gold Rush (1100m) twice, with Felines (2017) and Tactical Advantage (2020).
Lees’ other Hawkesbury representative is the lightly-raced Chilli Filly (Gibbons), who resumes in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m).
“She is coming up nicely, has drawn well and has had two trials to prepare her for this return.”
Chilli Filly, a three-year-old daughter of Vancouver, has raced only four times for two wins and as many placings.
She hasn’t raced since an excellent second to Junqueira in a Class 4 Plate (1300m) against her own sex at the Magic Millions carnival on January 6.
Chilli Filly’s chances have been enhanced by the withdrawals of fancied pair Baroque Road and Dollar Magic, and she was a $3.50 favorite on Saturday morning.
Hat-trick seeker Keep Your Cool has been withdrawn from the $250,000 Group 3 Blacktown Workers Club Group Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), and instead will run an Eagle Farm in the 3YO Quality (1300m).
Story John Curtis, May 4, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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