IT’S been another excellent season for Brad Widdup, who will break new ground with his first Coffs Harbour runner on Friday.
Hawkesbury’s leading trainer prepared 61 winners during the 2023-24 racing year, and is sending Art’s Alive to the Northern Rivers for the Super Maiden Showcase Handicap (1000m).
Widdup also accepted with the filly for the NSW Jockeys Association 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m) at Hawkesbury on Thursday, but has opted to head north – with good reason.
The Super Maiden at Coffs Harbour is the first of the $5m Inglis Bonus Xtra Maiden Series races, and Art’s Alive has drawn well and will be ridden by Andrew Adkins.
“With a $100,000 bonus for Inglis graduates from 2023 and beyond who are paid up for the Inglis Race Series, it’s impossible to ignore,” Widdup said on Wednesday morning.
“It means the Super Maiden winner will earn $122,000.”
Art’s Alive, a daughter of Snitzel, was a $350,000 purchase for BK Racing & Breeeding Pty Ltd at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale.
Widdup is putting blinkers on Art’s Alive for her Coffs Harbour tilt, and is looking forward to his first starter there.
“I have stayed at Coffs when we had a Grafton runner, so it will be nice to have a representative in a race worth such big money for a Maiden,” he said.
With Art’s Alive bypassing Hawkesbury, Widdup still will have two representatives at his home track meeting.
He trained nine winners at home during 2023-24, equalling his number the previous year.
Blinkers also go back on Troika at Hawkesbury, in the Clarendon Tavern Benchmark 68 Handicap (1100m).
Widdup’s apprentice Zac Wadick rides the gelding, lessening his handicap to 56.5kg.
“Troika raced in blinkers early in his career when trained by Mark Newnham (now based in Hong Kong), but I took them off in January and he won second up for us at home in February in a Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap over tomorrow’s distance,” Widdup said.
“He has worked well in the blinkers, and getting them back on under race conditions hopefully will spark him up.”
Troika has been unplaced in two runs since resuming, but drew the outside barrier and was less than four lengths from the winner World Alliance in a midweek Benchmark 72 Handicap (1000m) at Warwick Farm on July 10 on heavy ground.
Widdup is banking on the Hawkesbury track continuing to improve with no further rain and hopefully getting to a ‘Soft 5’ for Party Doll in the Blakes Marine Class 1 Handicap (1000m).
Tyler Schiller will ride the mare, who hasn’t raced since finishing last of six runners in a Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle on June 1.
She had run second at her previous start at Hawkesbury on May 14 in a Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1100m) after drawing one from the outside barrier.
“It was very heavy at Newcastle, and she didn’t appear comfortable at all,” Widdup said.
“I gave her a couple of weeks out in a paddock after that, and she’s fresh for the 1000m tomorrow.
“An improving track definitely will help her.”
Aside from Troika, Zac Wadick, who has had a breakout season with 63 winners (prior to Wednesday’s Warwick Farm closer), has four other Hawkesbury bookings.
He rides Jawharat Dubai for Annabel Neasham, In Iso (Wayne Seelin), Our Lady Stardust (Garry Frazer), and Valiancy (Ciaron Maher).
Widdup’s impressive Rosehill Gardens July 20 winner Jedibeel is having a short break, and will have another week out before going back into work.
“We’ll look at races such as The Warra (1000m) at The Gong meeting at Kembla Grange, and Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens later in the year,” Widdup said.
. The rail is out 2m from the 1100m to 450m for the opening meeting of a new season at Hawkesbury, and in the TRUE position for the remainder of the circuit. Course manager Kyle Cassim posted a “Soft 6” rating at 7.55 on Wednesday morning, with a penetrometer reading of 5.43.
No rain has been recorded in the past 24 hours, but 18.5mm has fallen in the last week.
Story John Curtis, July 31, 2024 - Pics supplied
Commenti