WIDDUP LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD WITH GUZUMPED

SUNDAY: August 18, 2024: BRAD Widdup isn’t inclined to press on to the Wyong Gold Cup even though his improving stayer Guzumped is assured of a berth.

A brilliant tactical ride by Tommy Berry paved the way for the gelding to trounce his rivals in today’s Cup Prelude (2000m) at the track.

Hawkesbury’s leading trainer acknowledged’s Berry master class when he took off on $2.70 favorite Guzumped entering the back straight, and thereafter never gave his opposition a look-in.

“Full marks to Tommy,” Widdup said this evening.

“It wasn’t a pre-race plan, but there was no pace at all in the race and he did the right thing.”

Guzumped scored by two and a half lengths from Wyong trainer Kim Waugh’s Camaguey ($5.50) and Newcastle trainer Mark Minervini’s Raging Bull ($4.40) in all-provincial finish.

The Hawkesbury gelding’s victory automatically guaranteed him a start in the $250,000 Listed Wyong Gold Cup (2100m) on September 6, but his trainer is looking further ahead.

“I’m a realist and today’s race was a Class 6 Plate,” Widdup said.

“The Cup field in a few weeks is going to be a lot stronger.

“I was planning to give Guzumped a freshen up after he was narrowly beaten at Canterbury over 1900m earlier in the month, but kept him going for the Prelude.

“Even though Guzumped is a five-year-old, he has been a slow learner and I feel he is going to be allright, even if it takes another 12 months.

“My current thinking is to give him a break, and give him a couple of runs in December and around

Christmas time with a view to taking him to the Gold Coast in January for the Magic Millions Subzero (2200m).

A son of Dundeel, Guzumped was a $200,000 yearling purchase by Sydney trainer Mark Newnham (who has just completed a successful first season in Hong Kong) for connections at the 2021 Magic Millions sale.

Newnham gave him only one start right at the end of his two-year-old season at Wyong in July, 2022 before transferring him to Widdup’s Hawkesbury base.

Widdup won first-up with the gelding in a Provincial Maiden Plate (1600m) at Kembla Grange in May last year, and has since won a further two races; both at Wyong.

He won a Class 1 Handicap (1600m) there on heavy ground in June, so today’s ‘Soft 6’ was no problem.

Widdup said the form around Guzumped’s recent runs boosted his confidence for the Cup Prelude.

“The form around him has been good,” he said.

“He ran fourth to Monarchs Brae at Canterbury last month, and that horse then was narrowly beaten in Saturday class at Rosehill Gardens.

“And the horse (Victory Roll) who just beat him at Canterbury on August 7 ran a great race when fourth in stronger Saturday company at Rosehill yesterday.”

Guzumped was Widdup’s eighth winner in the first two and a half weeks of the new season, something he said he never saw coming.

“We’ve got plenty of young horses here, but I honestly didn’t expect to be winning this many races so quickly,” he said. “It’s been very pleasing indeed.”