PHILIPSBURG DOUBLES UP – NOW FOR GOSFORD

GOSFORD’S Saturday metropolitan stand-alone meeting is likely next for hat-trick seeker Philipsburg.

Hawkesbury trainer James Ponsonby headed home last night after a Queensland family holiday, made so much more memorable by the gelding’s double act.

Philipsburg ($4.20) followed up his win in a Benchmark 80 Handicap (2200m) at Doomben a week earlier by giving his rivals a start and a beating at Eagle Farm yesterday, this time in a Benchmark 88 Handicap (2212m).

The two wins netted connections nearly a $100,000 prizemoney haul, and the trainer’s wife Keryn manages the syndicate which races the seven-year-old gelding.

Ponsonby cleverly worked out the two races to take Philipsburg north for , and the gelding both carried the same weight (52kg) and was ridden by Winona Costin, who has been Ponsonby’s most successful rider since he switched from harness racing to train thoroughbreds.

“It was great winning the first race at Doomben last week, but to back up and win at Eagle Farm was something special,” he said.

“It’s a course of great history, and I have now ticked that box.”

As well as ticking that box, Ponsonby can now lay claim to winning races at not only Brisbane’s two racecourses (either side of Nudgee Road), along with success at Albion Park Paceway when he trained and drove standardbreds.

Costin gave Philipsburg time to settle and wasn’t in the least concerned he trailed the field until starting his run entering the straight.

He picked off his opposition one by one and eventually scored a “soft” win over Tapildoodledoo ($6) and Galifianakis ($9.50).

The durable Philipsburg, which Ponsonby bought online for $20,000 in October 2020 after he raced once in New Zealand as a two-year-old and had three trials in Queensland, has now raced 67 times for 10 wins and as many placings and earned just over $618,000 in prizemoney.

Ponsonby stabled Philipsburg during his northern sojourn at familiar surroundings with close friend Lee Smart at Samford on Brisbane’s outskirts.

As Sky Racing commentator Michael Maxworthy remarked after the gelding’s Eagle Farm triumph:

“Philipsburg is loving life in the Sunshine State”.

However, all good things come to an end.

“Because it was an early race, we had some lunch and then loaded up and headed home,” Ponsonby said.

“We’ll give Philipsburg some time off to get over racing on consecutive Saturdays and the return trip.

“Most likely his next start will be at the Gosford Saturday metropolitan meeting on May 10.

“There’s a Benchmark 78 Handicap over 2100m which should suit him.”

Philipsburg was Ponsonby’s ninth winner of the current season, second only to leading trainer Brad Widdup (51 wins), and the 121st for the Hawkesbury training base since August 1.

. Fellow Hawkesbury trainer Wendy Haynes lifted the tally to 122 when she scored with her “pride and joy” Threw at Mudgee today.

Apprentice Siena Grima won the Benchmark 66 Handicap (2000m) on Threw, ($5.50), with whom she has now won five races.

Jockeys Aaron Bullock (Rotho Bro, $5) and Chad Lever (Fancy Garter $10) were successful at Mudgee, whilst Ash Morgan won the closer at Nowra on $1.80 favorite Placid Pearl.

Story John Curtis, April 20, 2025