WIDDUP A FAN OF NEW ILLAWARRA GRANGE TRACK

THE new Illawarra Grange track has a real supporter in Brad Widdup.

The leading Hawkesbury trainer has won three races at the two meetings conducted on the circuit inside the course proper.

After snaring a double with favorites Whoa Nellie and Tequisoda at the opening fixture on May 5, he backed up by scoring with Kosrae yesterday.

Whilst the lightly-raced filly wasn’t favorite – she was an $8 chance – jockey Christian Reith made every post a winner in the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).

Kosrae led around the turn, gave a good kick in the straight and gamely held out a late finishing Rob and Luke Price’s All Machiavellian ($6.50) to make it two wins from only five starts.

Widdup paid $40,000 for the daughter of North Pacific on behalf of Mulberry Racing at Book 2 of the 2024 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast.

She had previously changed hands for $65,000 as a weanling.

“Mike Gregg (Mulberry) liked the filly, and we were able to buy her,” Widdup said today.

“But she doesn’t have the best legs, hence I have had to manage her carefully.

“That’s why she has not had a lot of racing.

“However she has a really good attitude, and is such a trier.

“Provided she continues to do well, we will look for another suitable race to try to get a hat-trick with her.”

Kosrae had broken through comfortably at Bathurst on May 12 in a 1200m Maiden, and had no trouble successfully making the transition to provincial grade.

Whilst Widdup was pleased with Kosrae, he was bewildered with Sunset Park’s failure at Eagle Farm yesterday in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2400m).

She led but dropped out to finish last, nearly 24 lengths from the winner Alalcance.

“It’s a mystery,” he said. “We had her scoped afterwards, and everything was normal.

“She pulled up well this morning, but is coming home.”

Widdup is hoping for better fortune at Eagle Farm this Saturday when the consistent Hyperbolic lines up in the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic, a 1600m feature for mares at weight-for-age.

Hyperbolic has been runner-up at Hawkesbury and Doomben at her last two starts, and is deserving of another win.

Along with Widdup’s 53^rd winner of the season, fellow Hawkesbury trainer Ed Cummings also was in the winning list at Kembla Grange.

Cummings, who recently announced he has opened a satellite stable in Melbourne, won the CG&E Maiden Plate (1300m) with Demmo Dermy ($6.50).

Ridden by Pierre Boudvillain, Demmo Dermy swooped in the straight to convincingly defeat Flying Artisam ($3.30 equal favorite) and another Hawkesbury trainer Steve O’Halloran’s Copartner Pegasus ($8).

Cummings paid $160,000 for Demmo Dermy, a four-year-old son of Yes Yes Yes, at the 2023 Inglis Premier yearling sale in Melbourne.

Wyong trainer Kim Waugh also was successful at Illawarra Grange, taking the Class 1 Handicap (1400m) with Squeezebox ($10) in a tight finish over fancied pair, $2.70 favorite Marchon and Helen’s Way ($3.30).

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MAY 31, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS