ATTARD'S SEASON KEEPS GETTING BETTER
- John Curtis
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
The Hawkesbury trainer clinched his 12th winner since August 1 when Nesrine made a successful city debut at Warwick Farm today, and is “batting” at a strike rate of nearly one winner from every four starters.
Nesrine ($3.20 favorite) was Attard’s 56th runner in the 2025-26 racing year when she took the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) against her own sex, and made it four wins on end (from only six starts) at her first appearance since late November.
Apprentice Olivia Chambers partnered the lightly-raced four-year-old daughter of Denman (bred by Kate Nivison’s Etak Thoroughbreds) in her victory over high-priced I Am Invincible filly Ernaux ($3m 2024 Inglis Australian Easter yearling) in a heat of the annual Rising Star series.
She had to do it tough, being trapped wide early from an awkward draw (outside in a field of seven) and never able to get to the inside rail, but wouldn’t surrender in the straight after the runner-up sidled alongside on straightening and looked certain to score.
Attard was glowing in his praise of Chambers, who posted her maiden city winner - and not solely for her ride.
“It looked a bit messy early as Olivia couldn’t get in on Nesrine when the two front-runners began to slow up, and she didn’t hesitate to let the mare slide to take over from Vanessi,” he said.
“That showed experience beyond her years, but from my viewpoint the cherry on the top came when she came over later to the stalls to say thank you for trusting her with the ride, and gave Nesrine a pat.
“I thought it was pretty special.
“Olivia is based at Warwick Farm, but comes out to Hawkesbury once a week to ride trackwork for me and jumpouts.
“She is a hard worker, and deserved the opportunity to ride Nesrine, and get her first city winner.”
Nesrine is lucky to be alive let alone winning races after suffering a fractured skill in a paddock accident when kicked in the head last year by her younger half-sister Irulan, who was now deceased Canny Lad mare Jahanara’s second and last foal.
She had raced only twice, including being runner-up in a 3YO Super Maiden Plate (1100m) at her home track in February last year before shin soreness forced her out for a break.
Nesrine was just about to go back into work when disaster struck, and she had to be transported to Randwick Equine Centre, being touch and go whether she survived.
When she pulled through, she rehabbed at Attard’s farm, and it was a slow and lengthy process.
He had to mollycoddle the mare as she couldn’t eat lucerne hay and had to be hand fed chaff.
Nesrine was box bound for quite a while, and was walked time and time again to enable her to pick grass.
Since the accident, Nesrine hasn’t been beaten, stringing together three wins at home in October and November prior to her Warwick Farm resumption today.
Attard also is looking forward to another four-year-old mare Oui Oui Oui (also bred by Kate Nivison) contesting the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11, and is understandably rapt to have two talented young mares in his stable.
“They have never worked together, and I won’t compare them,” he said.
“They each have different attributes, and I’m very appreciative of Kate putting her faith in me to train them.”
