IMPORTANT VICTORIES FOR WYONG TRAINERS

ONE horse could have been racing in Hong Kong, and another was “imported” here from New Zealand to escape heavy tracks.

Together they gave Wyong trainers Allan Kehoe and Denim Wynen important victories at Hawkesbury yesterday.

Kehoe took the Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m) with Prince Of Sorts ($4.40), posting his fourth win from 11 starts, and Wynen won the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) with Monkhana ($4), with whom she has now scored twice – both at Hawkesbury – from only five starts since joining her stable.

Kehoe’s partner Kimberley Clarke bought Prince Of Sorts, a son of Tassort, for $22,000 at the 2023 Inglis Classic yearling sale Highway session.

“I had never heard of the sire because Prince Of Sorts was from his first crop, and told her I didn’t know why she had bought him,” Kehoe said today.

“But she has a good eye for a horse.”

Prince Of Sorts won his first two trials at Hawkesbury and Newcastle in July last year by decisive margins, and attracted a huge six-figure offer from Hong Kong.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t pass Hong Kong’s rigid veterinary examination, but we’re happy to have him,” Kehoe said.

“Whilst he will definitely be a better horse next year, he has pulled up well from Hawkesbury and was bucking his brand off this morning.

“Provided he continues to do well, I will look for another Benchmark race for him, and Olivia Chambers can ride him again.

“She gave him a 10 out of 10 ride yesterday.”

Kehoe had two unsuccessful cracks at the Provincial-Midway Championships with the gelding, and was pleased to get him back into the winning list yesterday.

Under his 58.5kg after Chambers’ 2kg claim, Prince Of Sorts defied his rivals, toughing it out in the straight to defeat Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker’s late closer Herb ($12) and Hawkesbury’s Jason and Lucy Attard’s Oh Golly Gosh ($16).

Kehoe was pleased with stablemate Dreamdeel’s fourth (beaten just under a length) in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m), and plans to back him up at home on Thursday.

Fellow Wyong trainer Wynen’s victory with Monkhana as her career 21st, but it would be wrong to assert she has “come of age”.

Clearly, she has a real skill with horses and has done a superb job with Monkhana, who definitely looks city material.

A four-year-old daughter of triple Group 1 winner Mongolian Khan (New Zealand and Australian Derbies and Caulfield Cup), Monkhana was exported from New Zealand, where she began her career.

“Monkhana’s Sydney owners also had the top-class mare Montefilia, and brought her over because she wasn’t comfortable on the heavy tracks in New Zealand.

“I was worried about Monkhana at the start of this preparation as she had a sore back, and Cherie Marsham has done a great job doing physio on her.

“Monkhana won a trial at home in late January, and then won first-up easily at Hawkesbury over 1400m on February 12.

“Anna Roper rode her then, and gave her another brilliant ride yesterday.

“Monkhana is only a little mare at 438kg, but is very easy to train.”

Wynen hasn’t had a lot of city starters, and is yet to win one in town.

She says she gets nervous when she does have a metropolitan runner, but really shouldn’t worry if she takes Monkhana to the city in the coming weeks.

The mare’s comprehensive defeat of Hooligan Tommy ($5) and Djapana ($31) stamped her as a likely city winner in the near future.

Story John Curtis, April 6, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photoso