From John O’Shea
Fri 3rd May, 2024
Horse: Schwarz
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 7, Hawkesbury Guineas) Schwarz has a hard luck story to tell from his major autumn target the Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint where he was badly held up on the inside and wound up two lengths from the winner Joliestar. The colt is a real talent, possibly top shelf talent. We set him for that race (the Arrowfield) and didn’t get any luck. He didn’t do much (work) so he’s in pretty good form. It’s a good race for him. I think he’s a genuine Group 1 horse potentially going forward. I’m sure he will handle wet ground and there’s a lot to like about him. If it’s too wet he won’t run, I wouldn’t run him on a 10 or something that’s horrendous.
Horse: Fall For Cindy
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 9, Lawn Shed Hcp) It’s been a month since her eye-catching 3rd at Warwick Farm on Easter Monday behind Green Shadows and while she was scratched from a subsequent engagement, she’s been kept up to the mark. She’s got a great chance. She’s a great wet tracker, a good second-up record, she’s working really well and with the claim she’s got a postage stamp (50.5kg). She’s probably one of our better chances on the weekend.
From Mick Attard
Fri 3rd May, 2024
Horse: Putt For Dough
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 2, Midway Hcp) It was a very big thrill (winning at Randwick two weeks ago), and to get it on such a big day and of all the tracks at Randwick. The owner took him off me and gave him to Brad Widdup and he gave him back. You know what, Brad Widdup was the first bloke who came and congratulated me. Hopefully we can go back-to-back and these other ones can come along and get me some more city winners. He’s on track for Saturday, the horse has done well. It would probably mean more if he won, because it’s my home track’s biggest day. They gave us barrier one again which is good. He gets back a bit sometimes. He’s an honest horse, he does try I’ll give him that much.
From Danielle Seib
Fri 3rd May, 2024
Horse: Kenichi
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 3, Highwasy Hcp) Kenichi’s previous unplaced Royal Randwick effort in February was a total forgive. Jason (Collett) said he copped a bad bump in traffic when he was travelling and lost momentum, and could have been in the finish. He’s just so tough and genuine, had a freshen, good gate (4) with Tyler (Schiller), on pace so ticks some boxes. He’s well placed with the freshen back to 1500m in a Class 2 off solid form at 1800m and 1600m
From David Payne
Fri 3rd May, 2024
Horse: Trafalgar Square
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 1, Clarendon Stakes) I think she’s going to be above average, she could be in the decent fillies races once she gets up to the mile. That’s always been our hope and she’s shown that she’s got it so far. She’s had two viruses, that’s why you haven’t seen the best of her. Her debut run was very good, she was three deep the whole way and she fought on until about 50m out. When we were getting her ready again she got a virus, and we put her out, then she got another one. I’d like her to get some cover in the first three or four. She’s by Churchill who is by Galileo so you wouldn’t think the 1400m will be a worry. The run before was a very wet track, she moved up and made an effort but she wasn’t happy.
Horse: State Of America
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 2, Midway Hcp) Expect State Of America to improve on whatever he does first-up in the Midway Handicap but he’s one horse that track conditions aren’t important for. He’ll need the run and that will top him off nicely but he will run well. He trialled well the other day and if it’s wet that’s not an issue for him.
Horse: Agita
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 4, Blakes Marine BM78 Hcp) Agita was unplaced in the Group 3 Carbine Club on Day 1 of The Star Championships but showed he’s back on track with his 2nd behind the smart Redbreast at Kensington when back to 1400m. That filly was a bit too quick for him but I wanted to use that race to get him to 100 per cent, we thought he’d run well and he had 59.5kg so it was a good run. He was on the inside at Randwick and he looked like he was going to threaten but he wasn’t happy on the heavy track. He’s at his top now and I think he’ll be more comfortable at the 1800m.
From Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Fri 3rd May, 2024
Horse: Butch Cassidy
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 7, Hawkesbury Guineas) His two runs this campaign have both had merit and should have him in near-peak condition for his Hawkesbury Guineas. He’s going to be much better suited here at the weight scale. He did an excellent job last start carrying the big weight and stuck on really well. He has done great in between runs and the distance is probably in his real sweet spot. He has been racing at the top end all the way through and hasn’t been beaten far. He just needs a few things to fall his way to land that killer punch and win, and hopefully that’s on Saturday.
Horse: New Endeavour
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 8, Hawkesbury Gold Cup) New Endeavour will tackle the Hawkesbury Cup second-up after a sound midfield effort in the Doncaster Prelude. He ended up having a few more runs for us in Europe and it was quite a long season for him. I think he is still adjusting and adapting to Australia, and I don’t think we’re anywhere near seeing him at his best. But in saying that, he has shown good improvement off his first-up run and his last trial was very good. He’s a very talented horse off his European form and I think we’ll see a bit more from him.
From Chris Waller
Fri 3rd May, 2024
Horse: Great White Shark
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 1, Clarendon Stakes) He was quite sleepy and docile at the start of his campaign and he was actually due to go to the paddock at least four weeks ago because he was that way mentally. But every time we gave him a slightly harder gallop or a jump out or took him to the trials, he just raised the bar for himself. It’s the same for his race start. I think you’ll see a massive jump out of the ground from his first start to his second start. He is a really talented prospect.
Horse: Canara
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 1, Clarendon Stakes) Canara has been a work in progress since finishing runner-up to Spywire at her first start in November. She was spelled after placing behind Storm Boy in December and arrives at the Clarendon Stakes third-up. She is still slightly highly-strung, which has just meant that she is still a maiden. But she is drawn soft (barrier two) and 1400 is a step in the right direction. She has relaxed well enough now to do that, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see her fight out the finish.
From Scott Singleton
Thur 2nd May, 2024
Horse: Vincenzo
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 4, Blakes Marine BM78 Hcp) Stayer Vincenzo will be out to bounce back from a shock last start failure (Orange Cup) in the Blakes Marine Handicap over a course he’s very familiar with. It was a funny race, he didn’t have a lot of luck and never really got cover at Orange. They went slow down the straight the first time and he probably didn’t do too bad with the weight on his back. I’ve put the Norton bit on him just to get him off the bit early and mid-race so he can save himself for a bit better finish. He was very good winning at Hawkesbury a couple of runs ago. I wouldn’t think he’d be out of a race like that particularly dropping a few kilos.
Horse: Dollar Magic
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 10, Clarendon Tavern BM78 Hcp) I’d like to see her winning because I feel like it’s hard for them to improve if they’re not winning, if they can’t get that confidence out of knowing they won. She’s very fit, she’s more forward that she would normally be first-up knowing we have to go to that metropolitan Benchmark racing but I think she’s come back just as good as she went out. I think she needs the right run in that grade but I feel she just needed to settle a bit early in her races. Going on how she’s come back and judging on her trial the other day I reckon she’s got a bit more race craft this time. If she can save a length doing something like that it’s going win her one of those races. I didn’t look at the race and think it was any stronger than what she was racing last prep so she’d be in with a show for sure.
From Sara Ryan
Thur 2nd May, 2024
Horse: Always Sure
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 2, Midway Hcp) His two runs since returning from a heel injury that kept him off the scene for 12 months have been eye-catching including a closing 3rd in a 1400m Midway at Randwick two weeks ago. He’s been passed around from trainer to trainer and in doing that he’s not had a proper prep. I’ve always loved him as a young horse he was quite exciting and when Clare (Collett) had that initial go with him and he had a proper prep you saw him go well. This is the first time with me we’ve had that proper prep and we haven’t had any issues with him. He is primed and ready to go.
Horse: Humanity
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 4, Blakes Marine BM78 Hcp) I do think he’s going to need a trip, he’s quite dour. We need a starting point to learn a bit about him, I think we’ll see the best of him next prep. He’s doing everything right at home.
Horse: Much Much Better
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 5, Hawkesbury Gold Rush) I’m hoping if it does end up being wet it will be to his benefit then it ends up being more like a 1200m race. He seems to have come back in good order and is ready to go.
Horse: Attractable
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 8, Hawkesbury Gold Cup) He’s a horse that loves to be free rolling in front, he likes to have one horse in front of him but he doesn’t like when they’re too far away. He just kind of gave up (in the All Star Mile). I could see the expression on his face, he was like ‘I can’t do it any more’. He needed a good hit out, it’s been quite a few weeks between runs now and he’s been caking on the weight slowly but surely. He trialled up really well (winning a 1200m Wyong trial by eight lengths on April 23). We’ve done some confidence work at home and that trial showed me he’s back on track.
From Michael Freedman
Thur 2nd May, 2024
Horse: Panic
Message: (Saturday, Hawkesbury Race 7, Hawkesbury Guineas) Panic is unbeaten in two runs this campaign, coming from midfield to beat the older horses first-up at Wyong before making a successful leap into stakes company last start. Panic raced outside the leader to post a fighting win in the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick last start and may have to adopt similar tactics in Saturday’s Group 3 race after landing barrier 19. I’d have loved to give him the opportunity to be ridden with some cover. While he sat outside the leader the other day and won, he is potentially a better horse when he can get a back to follow. But if he ran well, or better still could win it, we might have a look at a race like the Fred Best (Classic) up in Brisbane for him. He’s getting up in the grades a bit now, but Saturday looks a logical target.
