OUTTRIM'S MARE A WINNER AT HOME

FRIDAY: May 16, 2025: LONG-STANDING Hawkesbury trainer Karen Outtrim has been looking to find a suitable replacement for her now retired seven times winner Dragon’s Shadow.

Recent stable acquisition Russian Zarina took a step towards that goal when she scored on her home track yesterday.

Ridden by Winona Costin, $26 chance Russian Zarina revelled in the wet ground to take the Turfcare Australia F&M Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m) to post her third career success – and first for her new trainer.

Costin cuddled the four-year-old mare between runners off the pace in the run, then got her into the clear in the straight.

Russian Zarina was strong through the line to defeat Explosive Torpido ($4.20) and another local, Steve O’Halloran’s Nymphadora ($6).

Fellow Hawkesbury trainer Claire Lever previously prepared Russian Zarina and won two races with her (at Gosford in December 2023 and Bathurst in November last year).

The four-year-old daughter of Russian Revolution was put on the market after a Benchmark 50 Handicap (1300m) victory on soft ground at Bathurst on November 16.

Outtrim noticed she was listed for sale online with Inglis Digital, and purchased her for $5500.

“She likes the soft ground, and she likes Hawkesbury,” Outtrim said today.

“And Winona knows her well.

“Surprisingly, Russian Zarina can be a handful for her strapper at home, but is okay when she goes to other tracks.

“Thankfully, the ‘pony man’ knows her, and does a good job to keep her calm.”

Outtrim said she kept Russian Zarina fresh after starting her only a week earlier at Goulburn when she finished sixth in a Benchmark 66 Handicap (1300m).

“She found the 1300m too far, so I didn’t do much with her and brought her back to 1100m,” she said.

Outtrim has been training at Hawkesbury for just over two decades. Her first runner was at Bathurst in August 2003 and Shirl’s Flame at Nowra in April 2005 was her first winner.

She became the 24th local trainer to enter the winner’s circle this season, and keeps only a small string.

“I’ve got three in work at present, and another young horse we recently bought online from Victoria for $700,” she said.

“He is only a three-year-old and in pre-training, and we’ll see how he shapes up.”

Outtrim won seven races, including a $201 Maiden Handicap (1400m) at home on August 3, 2017, with now 10-year-old Dragon’s Shadow, who is enjoying retirement.

. Fittingly, whilst Russian Zarina’s connections decided to sell her, the mare’s former trainer Claire Lever also was a winner at home yesterday.

Lever combined with her jockey husband Chad to clinch the day’s easiest victory with well supported Ningaloo Reef ($5) in the DLF Turf Front Runners Super Maiden Handicap (1100m).

Whilst it wasn’t planned to lead with Ningaloo Reef, he burst to the front soon after the jump and was never in danger of defeat.

A three-year-old son of Rubick, and a $70,000 Inglis Classic yearling sale purchase in 2023, the gelding had been placed at four of his first six starts.

Ningaloo Reef was resuming and the ease of his victory suggests he is set for an excellent campaign.

Ningaloo Reef was Chad Lever’s seventh Hawkesbury winner this season, and his wife’s sixth overall winner since August 1.