WHAT A WEEK IT’S BEEN FOR WIDDUP

FOUR days. Four winners!

It’s been some week for Hawkesbury’s leading trainer Brad Widdup, whose quartet in successive days was capped when lightly-raced filly Lightness (pictured) scored at Newcastle today at only her third start.

And on this occasion he wasn’t the only provincial trainer to be in the winning circle, as fellow Hawkesbury mentor Jason Attard, leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees and Wyong’s Nacim Dilmi joined him.

Attard produced promising mare Oui Oui Oui first-up at Winx-like odds, Lees also scored first-up with Trumper, and Dilmi continued his good form by scoring with Emery.

Widdup began the week’s run – all with females - when Forcefilly (ridden by stable apprentice Poppie Gorton) scored at Nowra last Monday, then debutante Azure Angel surged home from well back on the turn at Scone the following day.

Tequila Baby broke through for a city victory at Canterbury yesterday, and Lightness broke through for her first win today.

Ridden by Christian Reith, Lightness ($5.50) showed plenty of grit to defeat Wyong trainer Nacim Dilmi’s Federal Reserve ($4.60) in the Midway Maiden Handicap (1400m) after the pair had the race to themselves along the straight.

Raced by Mike Gregg’s Mulberry Racing, Lightness fetched $450,000 at last year’s Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast.

“She was the dearest yearling we bought that season,” Widdup said this evening.

“Lightness did a terrific job today, and I’m sure she has a lot of upside and is going to appreciate even longer distances later in her career.

“I might give her one more run if she pulls up well, and then send her for a break and look toward the autumn.

“She has a very nice pedigree.”

Lightness won at the same Broadmeadow track where her father Proisir, now a leading New Zealand sire, won the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) as a three-year-old in 2012.

Whilst it’s been a pretty good week already for Widdup, he is hoping for rain to soften Kembla Grange on Saturday for accomplished wet tracker Ruby Flyer in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m).

“Ruby Flyer is in great order,” he said. “I’d love to get some rain for him.”

Attard meanwhile labelled Oui Oui Oui as his most promising prospect, and has no doubts she is up to city grade.

Punters didn’t hesitate to plunge on the four-year-old mare at short odds, so much so that she went to the post as a $1.35 hotpot for the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m).

Though Oui Oui Oui was buried back on the fence approaching the home turn, her rider Tom Sherry didn’t flinch and coolly eased around the heels of several runners after straightening to get into the clear.

Once he did, it was obvious victory was hers and she scored comfortably from Wyong trainer Nikki Hodgson’s Island Legend ($26) and Newcastle trainer David Atkins’ Rockbarton Angel ($15).

Bred by Kate Nivison’s Etak Thoroughbreds, the daughter of 2019 The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes has now won three of her seven starts.

Attard showed his opinion of her by throwing her “in the deep end” in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at home in April, and she wasn’t disgraced.

“I’ve always held a good opinion of Oui Oui Oui,” Attard said en route home.

“She has come back stronger and more mature.

“Without doubt she has a lot of upside, and has the goods to make her mark in town.

“With the spring carnival over, it’s the right time to go there.”

Oui Oui Oui was Attard’s sixth winner of the season – and his first away from his home track.

Lees’ three-year-old Russian Revolution gelding out of Thump (whom he trained to capture both a Group 2 and 3 in 2014-15) was having only his second start and first since June when he ran up to two nice recent trials to take the Super Maiden Plate (900m).

He put a tongue tie on Trumper (Adam Hyeronimus), who defeated Wyong trainers Denim Wynen’s Precious Girl ($6.50) and Kristen Buchanan’s Aeternum ($5.50).

Emery ($2.70 favorite) broke through in the 4YO & Up Maiden Handicap (1250m) at his seventh start after four placings.

A four-year-old daughter of Almanzor, Emery was a $120,000 buy for Domeland at the Inglis Ready2Race sale in 2023 as an early unraced two-year-old.

She was Dilmi’s ninth winner since taking over as head trainer of the Domeland operation on the Central Coast at the beginning of the current season.

Story John Curtis, November 20, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos