FRIDAY: October 8, 2021: WYONG trainer Damien Lane will run only one of his dual venue acceptors in the same race at Hawkesbury on Sunday, and this morning was leaning toward Budhwar as his representative.
What is definite is that Hugh Bowman will be the rider as Lane declared the century maker for both Budhwar and The Four Pillars contender Too Good To Be Tru in the St Johns Park Bowling Club Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m).
Bowman became only the fourth jockey in Australian racing history, joining George Moore, Damien Oliver and Jim Cassidy, to ride 100 Group 1 winners when he landed the $750,000 Metropolitan (2400m) on Montefilia at Royal Randwick last Saturday.
Lane has covered his bases by also accepting with Budhwar and Too Good To Be Tru in tomorrow’s Midway Handicap (1400m) at the Spring Champion Stakes meeting there, and has made gear changes irrespective of where each horse lines up.
“I’ll look at speed maps and make a decision today about splitting them between Randwick and Hawkesbury,” Lane said.
“But I am leaning toward keeping Budhwar for Hawkesbury, where he was previously trained and has been placed a couple of times there, one of them over Sunday’s distance.
“He is a leader and looks well suited.”
Lane has opted to put winkers back on the consistent Budhwar, heeding advice from Josh Parr, who rode him at his last start when sixth to Barossa Rosa in a 1300m Midway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on September 25.
“Budhwar began well from an inside draw, but James McDonald crossed him easily on Calgary Queen (eventual third placegetter),” Lane said.
“He was beaten only just over a length.”
Lane confirmed Too Good To Be Tru has become the ninth horse – and fifth from Wyong - to be selected for the inaugural running of the $700,000 The Four Pillars (1500m) at Rosehill on October 30.
He will also race in winkers, regardless of whether he runs at Randwick or Hawkesbury at the weekend.
Hawkesbury co-trainers Jason and Lucy Attard are keen for their recent home track winner Coppersonic to get a Four Pillars spot, and will run her at Kembla Grange on Thursday in an attempt to boost her claims.
But their immediate focus is with stablemate Oh Golly Gosh, who will contest Sunday’s TAB Provincial & Country Maiden Plate (1400m).
“Jason Collett rode Oh Golly Gosh at her last run when second at Hawkesbury at her second run this preparation, and sticks with her,” Jason Attard said.
“She has pleased us since that September 23 race (when beaten by Crystal Waters in a 1300m Maiden), and has drawn nicely. A bit of rain before the meeting to take the cut out of the ground would be very handy, but she can still run well on a good track.”
Team Attard also look forward to starting Sovereign Express (Jean Van Overmeire) in the XXXX Gold Maiden Plate (1100m).
The Bullet Train four-year-old is the first horse the couple has trained for owner John Kelly since the retirement of Jason Attard’s 2015 Hawkesbury Cup winner Sons Of John, who nearly upset Winx’s winning streak three months after that race, in the Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill.
“Sovereign Express came to us as an unbroken three-year-old,” Jason Attard said.
“He ran really well though unplaced on debut when sixth on a heavy track over 1000m at Orange on September 20,” Jason Attard said.
“I’m sure he will take further improvement from this race as he heads towards a 1300m Maiden Handicap for four-year-olds and upwards at Hawkesbury on October 21.”
James McDonald has taken only the one ride on Sunday; partnering newcomer Forms Of Fear in the HRC Motel 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m).
A $400,000 buy at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale, the Written Tycoon colt is prepared by Annabel Neasham and ran second in an 800m trial at Warwick Farm on Tuesday.
Forms Of Fear is Sky Racing analyst Paul Joice’s best bet at Hawkesbury. Coincidentally, his second selection, I Am Invincible filly Kobenhavn (Tommy Berry for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden) also fetched $400,000, but at the Magic Millions yearling sale in January.
. The rail is in the TRUE position, and a “Good 4” rating was posted this manager by course manager Rick Johnston. No rainfall has been recorded in the past week, but 10mm of irrigation has been put on the track in that period.
. Paul Joice’s selections are:
RACE 1: FORMS OF FEAR, Kobenhavn, Ferrari Man.
RACE 2: OH GOLLY GOSH, Hot Dancing, Loch Eagle.
RACE 3: TING TONG, Champions League, Guard.
RACE 4: LONG WEEKEND, Formentera, Mascherata.
RACE 5: RICK’S MANIA, Californiasilencer, Savourer.
RACE 6: LAMBDOMA ENERGY, Siege, Huzzah.
RACE 7: TOO GOOD TO BE TRU, Budhwar, Nicochet.
RACE 8: FINE RUBY, Amore, Zidane.
BEST: FORMS OF FEAR, RICK’S MANIA, LAMBDOMA ENERGY