TUESDAY: October 6, 2020: THE winners kept flowing for Hawkesbury trainers at Orange today.
In the best day so far this season, Daniel Robinson, Brooke Somers and Peter Green all shared in the spoils.
And they were all in Benchmark 58 Handicaps – but at varying distances.
Whilst it was Robinson’s second winner for the season, the day’s results represented important breakthroughs for both Somers and Green.
Robinson’s five-year-old Hard Expectations ($2.80 favorite) made it two wins from his last three starts in scoring over 2100m, Somers’ Tormund ($4.60) won his third race in scoring over 1600m, and Green’s My Little Racer ($4.20 favorite) also won her third race – and all have been at 1000m.
Robinson’s decision to book apprentice Reece Jones proved a winning move as the gelding nabbed Everly Girl ($3.80) in the last couple of strides.
Hard Expectations was having his fifth start in the last month, and there’s no doubting his toughness.
But he has earned a break – at least for a few days.
“I gained stables at Hawkesbury earlier in the year, but we also have a nearby farm at Windsor,” Robinson said.
“Hard Expectations will have three or four days resting in a paddock at the farm.
“He has earned it, but I’ll keep him going whilst he continues to race well.
“Whilst he has won two races from his last four starts, there were genuine excuses when he finished fourth at the other two runs.
“The pace didn’t suit him and he wasn’t able to produce his best.”
Today’s result was a similar outcome to Hard Expectations’ previous success at Goulburn on September 25 when he also relegated Everly Girl into second placing.
Somers cut an emotional figure after her five-year-old gelding Tormund (Brendan Ward) hung on to narrowly land the 1600m event.
“Every small trainer has their ups and downs, and we’ve had a lean patch lately,” she said.
“We don’t have a lot of horses in work, and my Mum owns 25 per cent of the horse.
“We try hard, and it’s really exciting to get this win.”
Somers was entitled to be emotional as Tormund did a sterling job to stave off the well-backed $4 favorite Just In The Clear by the narrowest possible margin after making the pace and being given little peace in doing so.
Green also was thrilled to break through this season with his six-year-old mare My Little Racer (Grant Buckley), who clearly relishes the 1000m.
“She is doing a good job as she has been up for about 10 months,” he said.
“I would like to give her a spell, but it’s hard to do that when she keeps improving.
“My Little Racer’s owners from Camden RSL Club deserved this win, and I’m really pleased for them.”
. Robinson is hoping to parlay today’s success with Hard Expectations into a metropolitan breakthrough at Warwick Farm tomorrow.
Karmazone was his first starter in town at Canterbury a fortnight ago over 1550m and ran a terrific race to finish third at $26 after racing wide throughout, and contests the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m).
Epsom Handicap winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy rode him then, and sticks with the Hawkesbury gelding tomorrow.