WIDDUP ON COURSE TO RETAIN HOME TRACK PREMIERSHIP
- John Curtis
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
And he is confident he has a number of good chances amongst his team of six runners at the final meeting of the season.
Widdup, who notched 15 wins last season to become the first local trainer in decades to beat all comers, is currently level with Chris Waller at 14 wins each as he strives for another title.
However, Waller has withdrawn his two acceptors, leaving the door open.
Widdup runs Viva Macaco (Essential Asset & Fire CG&E Maiden Plate, 1100m), ThinkShe’s Ausbred (The Sheilas Punters Club F&M Maiden Plate, 1100m), Longinus and Room For Pudd (Richmond Club Class 1/Maiden Plate, 2000m), Ironblood Empress (Country Music Raceday September 5 Provincial Maiden Handicap, 1300m), and Seven Days (St Johns Park Bowling Club Benchmark 64 Handicap, 1100m).
Chad Schofield, successful on Satono Jasmine (Widdup’s 62nd winner of the season) at Warwick Farm two days ago, rides Viva Macaco, Room For Pudd, Ironblood Express and Seven Days, Rachel King partners ThinkShe’s Ausbred, and Andrew Adkins has the mount on Longinus.
“Viva Macaco, Ironblood Empress and Sevens look to be my best chances,” Widdup said this morning.
“Viva Macaco, a Bivouac colt who is owned in Hong Kong, was good on debut when narrowly beaten at Hawkesbury on July 2.
“He has trained on well since, is nicely drawn and gets his chance to break through.
“Ironblood Empress was terrific at her first start in town at the Kensington track when a close fourth to Consulate in a 2YO Maiden Plate (1250m) against her own sex.
“She is a nice filly, and a half-sister (by Churchill) to Joe Pride’s Group 1 winner Headley Grange.
“Even though she is drawn awkwardly, she comes back to her home track in a Provincial Maiden and should be hard to beat.
“Seven Days struck some trouble at the start when runner-up at Hawkesbury on July 2 on a soft track, and races well at home.
“She won here last year on similar ground.”
Widdup’s best three hopes all are early favorites with TAB.com.au.
Viva Macaco is at $2.50, Ironblood Empress $1.90, and Seven Days is at $3.
Widdup’s other runners are at longer odds; ThinkShe’s Ausbred ($21), Longinus ($17) and Room For Pudd ($51).
“ThinkShe’s Ausbred is a So You Think filly going to the races for the first time,” Widdup said.
“She has trialled okay, and has drawn an inside gate.”
Tommy Berry, not riding on Sunday, has won the jockeys’ premiership with 20 wins, 10 ahead of Mitchell Bell and Tyler Schiller, and Mollie Fitzgerald with eight wins leads Mitch Stapleford by three in the apprentices’ premiership.
Former jockey Leeann Olsen, who ride 339 winners including Seto Bridge in the then Group 2 1995 Newcastle Gold Cup, will have her first runner as a trainer at her home track.
She runs the former Ciaron Maher-trained Kirkhoepasse in the F&M Maiden Plate (1100m).
Reece Jones will ride the three-year-old filly, who was placed at two of her three Victorian starts earlier this year, and changed hands for $90,000 online in March.
. The rail is in the TRUE position, and course manager Digby Nuthall at 8am today posted a “Soft 6” rating. Hawkesbury received 6mm of rain overnight, and a total of 8mm in the past seven days. No irrigation has been put on the track in that period.
The eight-race program begins at 11.55am.