THEY’VE both been out of luck, but there was no better stage than Royal Randwick on Boxing Day to bring a welcome change.
Experienced Gosford trainer Kylie Gavenlock and Wyong apprentice Anna Roper teamed with six-year-old mare Audette ($14) to clinch their first city winner of the season.
Given a great ride by 22-year-old Roper, Audette resumed from a spell to defeat Wyong trained Chief Conductor ($10) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m) for four-year-olds and upwards.
Such was the importance of Audette’s victory that not only was it a city breakthrough this season for both trainer and jockey, but also only their second winner since August 1.
Gavenlock prepared the mare for a first-up tilt on the back of only one trial when a close fifth over 1000m at Wyong on November 26.
“Audette also had a couple of jumpouts, and is definitely better on wet ground,” Gavenlock said en route home.
“But I was happy with her lead-up, and she always tries her heart out.
“My horses have been drawing poorly, and when Audette drew well, I gave her a good chance.
“She has been a terrific mare for our stable, today being her seventh win.
“I was also really pleased for Anna, who won a 1000m trial on Audette on the Beaumont track in March and was going to ride her at her next start but got hurt.
“Anna was starting to worry about riding more winners, and I’m sure this will give her a lot of confidence.”
Gavenlock, whose first success this season was with Tina’s Rock at Scone on August 30, wasn’t sure of her previous winner but thought it may have been Audette at Warwick Farm on March 29 last year.
Audette won her first three races – two at Muswellbrook and the other on the Beaumont track – and ran second to Kayobiin a Provincial-Midway Championships Qualifier (1200m) on her home track 13 days prior to that Warwick Farm triumph.
The third foal of The Artist, The Factor mare was bred by Kim Harding, who has been a great supporter of Gavenlock’sstable and in 2008 was the first woman appointed to the Board of RacingNSW.
Roper, whose promising career has been dogged by injury, rode 74 winners in 2023-24 even though she wasn’t able to compete for the full season, and won the Rising Star Series for apprentices.
She scored on Yendy for trainer Ciaron Maher at Hawkesbury on July 21, and two days later underwent further surgery on a troublesome knee injury.
Roper did not ride again until November 2 at Newcastle when placed on today’s Beaumont winner Rubi’s Serve, and has been in the minor placings another 13 times, interspersed with a breakthrough success on Le Souci at Tuncurry on December 9.
. Newcastle trainers Kris Lees, Mark Minervini and Jay Hopkins also were Boxing Day winners on three different tracks.
After finishing a close second last year with the now retired Luncies, Lees won his first Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) at Randwick with the consistent Tavi Time ($4.80), who nabbed Osipenko ($6) in the last stride.
Minervini was successful at his home meeting on the Beaumont track with the improving mare Rubi’s Serve ($3.40 favorite), who ran home strongly to defeat Lees’ mare Lights Of Paradise ($4.60) in the F&M Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m).
Hopkins withdrew Cassie’s Lad from a Maiden Plate (2020m) at the Beaumont meeting, and instead headed to Quirindi, where his four-year-old gelding bolted home with the Maiden Plate (1600m) by more than 10 lengths as a $1.60 favorite.
Story John Curtis, December 26, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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