CITY WINNER IS "PRETTY EXCITING"

WEDNESDAY: February 14, 2024: BRAD Widdup is definitely not one to get too carried away with his horses.

So when the leading Hawkesbury trainer says today’s Kensington winner Confess Our Dreams is “pretty exciting”, it’s quite a statement.

Having her first city start and first from a break, Confess Our Dreams ($7.50) turned in a brilliant performance in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1000m) to maintain her unbeaten record.

The Shalaa three-year-old won her first two starts over 900m at Newcastle last September and October before Widdup gave her a break.

Confess Our Dreams left her rivals with no excuses in making it three from three.

 She drew the outside, had to do plenty of work and still scored with authority.

“It’s a hard time of the year to find suitable races for a lightly-raced filly as the autumn carnival is nearly upon us,” Widdup said this evening.

“But I will try to find another good option for her in the coming weeks.

“She did a really good job going from a Saturday Class 1 Handicap at the provincials to a Benchmark 72 in town, and against some decent opposition.”

Confess Our Dreams was bred by her Melbourne owner Akram Younan, who unfortunately lost the filly’s dam The Beautiful Wife (a daughter of former Newcastle sprint sensation Choisir), who died in May last year.

Jockey Tommy Berry’s keen eye earned him the ride on the filly for her city debut.

Berry rode a rival in Confess Our Dreams’ winning 800m Open trial at Hawkesbury on February 1, and was sufficiently impressed to chase the mount.

The filly’s victory was Widdup’s third in the past five days – and 29th of the season.

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