Hawkesbury’s leading trainer raced to seven victories – four of them have been for Cordina’s Summertime Thoroughbreds - in the first 13 days of the new season when a resuming High Dandy ($2.05 favorite) trounced his rivals at Hawkesbury on Tuesday.
With Tyler Schiller aboard, the son of Cordina’s 2017 Victoria Derby winner Ace High began quickly and never looked like losing the Happy 99th Birthday Nita Class 1 Handicap (1500m).
High Dandy scored by nearly seven lengths from Tears For Fears ($9) and Line Of Fire ($3.60).
Widdup began the season at home on August 1 with a double, which included Cordina’s Party Doll, and subsequently also got results for him with Canny Queen at Wyong on August 4 and Fun Sunday at Kembla Grange last Saturday.
Now a four-year-old, High Dandy has raced only six times for two wins.
He also easily won a Super Maiden Plate (1600m) at Wyong in March by nearly five lengths after also leading throughout, then took a quantum leap tackling a couple of black type races during the Sydney autumn carnival.
High Dandy was spelled after being unplaced in both the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens and Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.
Widdup had trialled the horse twice at Warwick Farm and Hawkesbury; the latest at home only eight days ago.
“I normally don’t kick horses off so soon after a trial, but both John and myself noticed this race,” Widdup said on Tuesday evening.
“It wasn’t the strongest Class 1, and High Dandy did the job well.”
Not surprisingly, Widdup’s blazing start to the new season has him at the top of the NSW premiership, and he may attempt to clinch another win for Summertime Thoroughbreds on the Kensington track on Wednesday.
He has Party Doll engaged in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1000m) for five-year-olds and upwards, but hasn’t ruled out waiting a week for a similar grade race over the same distance at Warwick Farm next Wednesday.
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Wyong trainer Kim Waugh clinched a Hawkesbury double, scoring with fancied pair Mogul Monarch ($3.60) and Northern Eyes ($2.15 favorite).
Jay Ford rode both winners and in fact racked up three in a row, also scoring on Threatening ($180 favorite).
. Newcastle jockey Dylan Gibbons pleaded guilty to a careless riding charge arising from the Lander Toyota Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1300m) at Hawkesbury.
He will not have to begin his brief suspension until after he rides at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Story John Curtis, August 13, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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