SATURDAY: September 25, 2021: MITCHELL and Desiree Kearney hopped on the Winona Costin bandwagon at Nowra yesterday – and reaped a nice reward with “family horse” Eerised.
Named after the Hawkesbury co-trainer (Desiree spelt backwards), Eerised ($8) clinched his fourth victory at his 68th start, in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (2200m).
Costin has set Nowra alight this month, winning 10 races at the last three meetings at the track – and two of them have been on Hawkesbury horses.
She rode four winners at the September 10 fixture, three there last Sunday (including Mike Van Gestel’s Titan Star) and another treble yesterday.
Eerised finished gamely to edge out Phelan Thirsty ($7) and $3.60 favorite Fiorzana.
“Winona has been in outstanding form, so it was great to secure her for Eerised yesterday,” Mitch Kearney said this morning as he and his wife set out to collect Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker’s runners and take them to the Rosehill Gardens meeting, continuing their great contribution to the industry in the current COVID-19 climate.
“Eerised is a real favorite at our stable; we love him to death.
“We bred him, and he is a real family horse.
“His dam Fabulash (by Tobougg), is the first horse I ever bought, at the Inglis Classic yearling sale.”
Eerised, a son of Widden Valley, is the mare’s third foal. Her first Bass Cannon (by Shaft) also was prepared by Mitch Kearney when training on his own, and her second foal (a filly by Shaft) sadly died after birth.
The Kearneys also train Eerised’s younger half-brother Jonjo’s Comet (by Tickets), who has won three races to date.
Eerised won his first race at Bathurst in February 2017 and scored subsequently at Hawkesbury three months later, and then at Muswellbrook 12 months ago.
“Even though he is now eight years of age, we never lost faith we could win another race with him,” Mitch Kearney said.
“He didn’t handle the Queanbeyan track at all at his previous start, and we expected him to run well yesterday getting up to a nice distance.”
Now that the gelding has found winning form again, the Kearneys are keen to give him his chance for a city breakthrough in a couple of weeks.
They have their eyes on a Benchmark 72 Handicap over yesterday’s winning distance (2200m) at the midweek meeting scheduled for Warwick Farm on October 13.