WIDDUP READY TO JOIN HOME TRACK STAND-ALONE WINNERS

FRIDAY: May 1, 2026: BUOYED by an emotional provincial result yesterday, Brad Widdup is looking to finally put his name on his home track’s biggest meeting’s winner’s list tomorrow.

Hawkesbury’s leading trainer won the Maiden Plate (1625m) at Wyong with Don’t Tell Polly ($8.50); his 463^rd career success and 44^th this season.

“Don’t Tell Polly was bred by Adrian Whittingham, and he stayed in the filly after we purchased her privately,” Widdup said today.

“We put together a syndicate comprising a number of mates from my hone turn of Albury, and the filly is named after Stephen Harris’ mother Polly.

“Stephen and I went through primary school together and very sadly he died suddenly on New Year’s Day two years ago.”

A daughter of Ghaiyyath (crowned the world’s best racehorse of 2020 following four dominant Group 1 victories), Don’t Tell Polly was having her fifth start when she broke through at Wyong.

“Ghaiyyath is making a name for himself in Australia with some nice staying horses, and I was starting to think I had the only one who wouldn’t win a race,” Widdup said.

“Taking winkers and a tongue tie off and putting blinkers on obviously made the difference yesterday, and it was an easy watch.

“She travelled like a winner throughout, and we’ll now give her the chance to step up in distance.”

Even though he has been Hawkesbury’s leading trainer for many years, victory at the Saturday stand-alone meeting has so far eluded him.

“To be fair, I haven’t had a lot of runners but was just beaten in the Hawkesbury Crown a couple of years ago with Short Shorts, and also finished fifth with Lovani in a Hawkesbury Gold Cup not long after I started training here,” he said.

Widdup has a number of chances to break his Hawkesbury stand-alone “duck”, notably talented youngster Tenenbaum (Tommy Berry), who is a short-priced favorite for the St Johns Park Bowling Club 2YO Clarendon Stakes (1400m).

A brother to last year’s Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat, the Snitzel colt is the dearest horse ($750,000 at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale) he has purchased for his major client, Mulberry Racing.

“Tenenbaum is a very nice colt, and of course it would be great for all concerned to see him win the opener tomorrow,” Widdup said.

“I’d like to take him to Brisbane for the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm next month, but let’s get tomorrow done first.”

Widdup also starts Audrey’s Lane (Alysha Collett) and Bella Khadijah (apprentice Braith Nock) in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1500m) with the former his pick, and Hyperbolic, who is in both the Group 3 Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) and Clarendon Tavern Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m).

Hyperbolic was second emergency for the Cup and has now secured a start following the withdrawals of Osipenko and Sea King, but her trainer this morning was favoring running in the Benchmark 88, where Chad Schofield has been booked.

“Hyperbolic has a wide draw in the Cup, and is much better drawn (two) in the Benchmark 88,” Widdup said.

. Course manager Digby Nuthall this morning posted a “Good 4” rating for the 10-race program, which begins at 11.20am with the 2YO Clarendon Stakes.

The rail is in the TRUE position. No rainfall has been recorded in the past week, but 11mm of irrigation has been put on the track in the same period, including 3mm in the previous 24 hours to 8am today.