TRAINER SAYS IT'S TIME FOR EXPRESS TO "REPAY"
- John Curtis
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Last year’s brilliant Provincial-Midway Championships Final winner goes back to the races in the $200,000 Listed Evergreen Turf Ladies Day Cup (1500m) for only his third start in 12 months.
To say he has been a real source of frustration to his trainer and connections would not even be close to the mark because of hopefully his past habit of not leaving the barrier stalls on terms with his rivals.
“He’s been testing to put it mildly,” Niceforo said this morning.
“It’s all in his mind, and we’ve spent a lot of time, effort and money trying to get that sorted.
“His last two barrier trials have been very encouraging, and RacingNSW stewards have passed him to resume his career.”
Jean Van Overmeire will ride the now six-year-old gelding, whose only previous Hawkesbury appearance was as a three-year-old when seventh to Hawaii Five Oh in the 2023 Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at only his second start.
“Jean has ridden Territory Express in three trials, three jumpouts and some gallops and deserves the chance to ride him again,” Niceforo said.
“He rode him in his only two races this year at Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick (August 30 and a week later respectively), but they weren’t races because he didn’t participate.
“Territory Express was good in comfortably winning a Warwick Farm trial (1207m) on October 3 before finishing third in another 1200m trial there a fortnight later.
“Whilst he didn’t jump as well in the second trial, it wasn’t his fault.
“The horse next to him was playing up in the stalls and hit his neck.
“Stewards confirmed what happened with the starter.”
Niceforo took blinkers off the gelding for both his trials, and he will race without them tomorrow, though ear muffs will stay on.
Niceforo took Territory Express to Victoria earlier this year for renowned horseman Julien Welsh to ply his skills.
“Julien discovered that Territory Express was hitting his stifle in the barriers, and it frightened him,” he explained.
“I’ve kept him away from the barriers other than those recent trials.
“Julien did a terrific job, and I’ve since been working on his mental attitude.
“I’m pleased with how he is going, and expect him not to get as far back tomorrow as he has been doing.
“We know he’s got the ability to win good races. It’s all up to him now to repay us.”
Hawkesbury Race Club’s decision to shift the Ladies Day Cup meeting from its traditional Thursday date to a Saturday – and maintain the prizemoney – has been rewarded with an excellent field for the feature event; the richest NSW provincial race outside Saturday metropolitan stand-alone programs.
The Cup drew a capacity line-up, with Sydney’s all-conquering trainer Chris Waller deciding to rely on Manzoice (Jeff Penza) and McHale (Lee Magorrian).
He withdrew McHale from the $2m Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill when he drew awkwardly to go to Hawkesbury, but it’s the opposite with stablemate Shadizi, who comes out of the Ladies Day Cup to contest the rich Sydney race.
Waller has won the Cup on five occasions. He first was successful with Tromso in 2013, then Strawberry Boy (2014), Cellarman (2019), Black On Gold (2020) and New Mandate (2023).
In an open Ladies Day Cup, Willaidow (Deanne Panya) and Sir Artie (Braith Nock) this morning were disputing favoritism at $4.60, with Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker’s Well Timed (Brock Ryan) next at $5.50.
Territory Express was listed at $17.
Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle has made a number of gear changes on Harlem Queen (apprentice Ben Osmond). She will race in a tongue tie for the first time, and winkers go back on.
. The rail is in the TRUE position for the eight-race card, which begins at 12.45pm.
Course manager Digby Nuthall at 8.37am today posted a “Good 4” rating. A total of 10mm of irrigation has been put on the track in the past seven days (5mm in the previous 24 hours), and 15mm of rain has been recorded in the past week, but nothing in the last 24 hours.
