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JASON Deamer’s stable flag-bearer Hard To Say at Warwick Farm on Monday begins another campaign which ultimately will lead to another Magic Millions assignment in January.
But first the Newcastle trainer has other “millions” in mind.
“Provided Hard To Say races well first-up, the immediate plan is to be at Royal Randwick with him for The Everest meeting on Saturday week,” Deamer said on Sunday.
“The target is the Sydney Stakes (1200m).”
The Group 3 Sydney Stakes is regarded as a “consolation” for sprinters who don’t make the $20m The Everest over the same distance – and carrying as purse of $2m, it’s not a bad consolation at all.
Horses which accept for the Stakes may also be declared as one of up to six emergencies for The Everest.
Hard To Say has been a wonderful performer for Deamer and his Dynamic Ladies’ syndicate, having won seven races and been placed four times from 22 starts.
The now five-year-old son of Exceed and Excel (who won seven of his 11 starts, including two Group 1s in Melbourne) fetched $160,000 as a Magic Millions yearling in 2021, and has earned just over $650,000.
Nash Rawiller, who partnered Hard To Say in his latest gutsy victory in a Benchmark 94 Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens in April, again rides the gelding in The Hundred Thousand (1000m) at Warwick Farm, with 60kg equal topweight.
“Hard To Say seems to be coming up well again,” Deamer said.
“He has had two nice trials and is ready to go back to the races.
“Whilst the Sydney Stakes is our immediate plan, most likely Hard To Say will be back at the Gold Coast in January for the Magic Millions Sprint (1200m).”
Hard To Say ran fifth to King Of Sparta in this year’s renewal.
After finishing a narrow second in an 845m trial at Wyong on September 9, Hard To Say easily won an 820m trial at home 16 days later (last Friday’s first-up Dubbo winner Canamble was runner-up).
He will get his preferred surface (all his seven wins have been on good ground) at Warwick Farm, and has won twice from five first-up attempts.
Deamer also may consider his home town $1m The Hunter (1300m) on November 16 for his talented sprinter.
He ran third with Bon Amis to Savatiano in the inaugural running of The Hunter in 2019, and Hard To Say’s sole attempt to date at 1300m resulted in a third to Phearson in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup at Randwick in March.
Provincial sprinters make up half the eight-horse Warwick Farm field.
Newcastle’s The Bopper (Kris Lees) also resumes, and will be joined by Hawkesbury’s Kote (Blake Ryan) and No Statement (Mike Van Gestel).
Stable apprentice Ben Osmond takes 3kg off The Bopper’s allotted 58kg, whilst Jay Ford rides Kote and apprentice Molly Bourke partners No Statement.
Kote won the Thunder Thousand Benchmark 78 Handicap (900m) at the Gosford Saturday meeting held at Newcastle in May, and No Statement won the Hurricane Handicap (900m) at the Newcastle Gold Cup carnival on September 20.
. Provincial trainers won four of the eight races at Saturday’s Newcastle meeting.
Gosford’s Angela Davies (Alice Mae, $3.30 in the Maiden Handicap, 1500m) and Greg McFarlane (Procrastinator, $7.50 in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap, 900m), and Newcastle’s David Atkins (Rockbarton Icon, $7 in the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap, 1880m) and Paul Perry (Princess Cruizer, $10 in the Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap, 1300m) all were successful.
Princess Cruizer, a daughter of Perry’s international star Choisir and granddaughter of 2002 Golden Slipper winner Calaway Gal, made it two wins in a row on her home track.
Her starting price was surprising considering she had beaten Restonica at her previous start in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m) a fortnight earlier, and that gelding won the race prior on Saturday as an odds-on favorite.
Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees won the opener at the Gold Coast on Saturday with Enterprise Private ($2.90) in the Maiden Plate (2200m), beating Deamer’s Justifiably ($8), and the closer at Doomben with Bubba’s Bay in the Benchmark 85 Handicap (1200m).
Bubba’s Bay is now an eight-times winner, and six of them have been in Brisbane.
Story John Curtis, October 6, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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