WHAT’S in a purchase price?
Hawkesbury trainers won half the eight-race program at their home track meeting today, and two of them cost a combined $24,000 only at the same sale, and the other pair $215,000 between them.
Marc Chevalier’s Star Turn filly Everyone’s A Star ($12), who won the Godolphin Family Funday 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m), cost her owner Dr Ulysses Crosson $15,000 at the Inglis HTBA yearling sale two years ago, whilst fellow trainer Mick Attard’s wife Sharon secured Missile Max ($4.40), successful in the XXXX Gold Provincial Maiden Handicap (1300m), for $9000 at that sale.
Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup’s Sebring filly, $2 favorite Queen Astrid, who broke through in the Workers Lifestyle Group Maiden Handicap (1500m), was a $80,000 Melbourne Premier yearling purchase in 2021, and Blake Ryan’s I Am Brazen ($6), who won the Lander Toyota Benchmark 64 Handicap(1000m), was the dearest of the foursome at $135,000 as a 2019 Inglis Australian weanling.
The Hawkesbury quartet on top of Steve O’Halloran’s victory with Determined Mink at Newcastle yesterday boosted to 181 the number of winners trained out of Hawkesbury so far in what is already a record-breaking season.
Marc Chevalier had not intended to start Everyone’s A Star, and changed his mind when he noticed there were only 10 nominations for the race and put her in as a late entry.
“She had not raced since last June, and this was her first start for me as she has been given time to mature,” a delighted Chevalier said.
“Everyone’s A Star hadn’t trialled, and I was planning to do that at Hawkesbury on Monday week.
“She had a jumpout last Wednesday, and I decided to nominate her when I saw the entries for today’s race were light and had been extended.
“Everyone’s A Star surprised us in winning so well, and no doubt has further improvement as she certainly wasn’t 100 per cent fit for today’s race.
“Credit also to the filly’s apprentice rider Julia Presits, who is doing a great job for the stable and has ridden our last three winners.”
Reece Jones’ rails hugging ride to come from last on the corner and not go around a horse to win on Missile Max was indeed overdue for Mick Attard.
The Smart Missile three-year-old proved costly for his trainer when disqualified after finishing third at $61 in a Midway Maiden Handicap (1300m) at Newcastle on March 9 when his rider Grant Buckley weighed in 800g light through a rather unusual mishap when being saddled prior to the race.
“I wasn’t aware the lead bag had fallen off in the stalls and ended up in a shopping bag owned by another trainer, who had a horse stabled in the next stall that day,” Attard explained this evening.
“It didn’t come to light until after Grant Buckley weighed in that day.
“No one knew what had happened to the lead bag until we found it in a Coles shopping bag in the next stall.
“The stewards fined me $1500, and the third prizemoney that day was $4000.
“Missile Max is a three-quarter brother to Smart Melody (the now deceased filly who won five of her only six starts, including two black type victories in Melbourne).
“We were able to buy him cheaply because he was so small.”
The costly Newcastle mishap didn’t end there either with Missile Max. He suffered a muscle injury in his day yard after finishing second in a 1500m Hawkesbury Maiden on April 1, and this was his first start since recovering.
“I’m getting him ready for the Grafton Guineas (1600m) at next month’s carnival,” Attard, who has trained four winners this season, added.
Missile Max was the medium of strong support, but his trainer said it wasn’t stable inspired. “I don’t know where it came from,” Attard said. “I don’t bet; my job is to get my horses to do their best when they go to the races.”
Brad Widdup made it 56 wins for the season when Queen Astrid (Jean Van Overmeire) ran right up to her recent Warwick Farm placing, and broke through at her sixth start.
She had been placed on three occasions, and was previously prepared by Mark Newnham, who has transferred to Hong Kong.
Blake Ryan clinched his 15th winner (fifth this season) in only his second full year of training from his Hawkesbury base when I Am Brazen (Jay Ford) scored at her first outing since late last year when placed at Gosford.
Ryan got the four-year-old Brazen Beau ready for a first-up tilt on the back of a 790m barrier trial win over seven rivals at home on May 22.
I Am Brazen, who has now won twice from four first-up attempts, was too strong for $3.70 favorite Capital Reign and another local, Mike Van Gestel’s $51 outsider Titan Star.
. RacingNSW stewards suspended jockey Lee Magorrian for excessive use of the whip after he had finished second on Wyong-trained Epicus ($20) to $2.25 favorite Terra Mater in the Blakes Marine Midway Class 1 Handicap (1300m).
Stewards ruled Magorrian had used the whip nine times (four more than permitted) prior to the 100m, but did not use their discretionary powers to proceed to a protest when they weren’t convinced Epicus had gained an unfair advantage.
Magorrian pleaded guilty and was suspended from June 23 until July 3, on which day he made resume.
Recent Gosford winner Epicus was slowly away and raced wide without cover, so his effort under 59kg topweight was very meritorious.
*Words John Curtis - June 11, 2023 - Pics Bradley Photos*
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