Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup will be starting from a better place with Sneaky Paige when she kicks off her summer preparation in the Starlight Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
A couple of barrier trial wins at Warwick Farm and Randwick in the past month are a long way away from Widdup’s first campaign with the talented mare.
Tyler Schiller has been on Sneaky Paige for her four wins and they reunite in Saturday’s Starlight Stakes at Rosehill.Credit: Getty
“I got her when Mark Newnham went to Hong Kong and the prep was just a prep where nothing went right,” Widdup said of Sneaky Paige’s three-run winter campaign.
“She had a foot problem and it was just a troubled prep from start to finish. We just ended up stopping and drawing a line under it and giving her a good break.
“She is a much better mare than that, and we are starting to see that now.
“This time she has not missed a beat. Tyler Schiller has been on her in a couple of trials and for him to stick is a big thing for us because of how well he is riding.”
Schiller, who leads the Sydney jockeys premiership, has moved into the Hawkesbury area and makes regular morning appearances for track work, which is a great help to the Hawkesbury trainers.
“It makes a difference to have Tyler out here and getting a feel of our horses,” Widdup said.
“He has been on Sneaky Paige in her four wins when she was at Mark’s and knows her very well.
“She has got a good draw, which will help her get the right run.
“I feel like she is up to this level and, being a Magic Millions horse, starting here gives us the chance to head in that direction.”
The Starlight is a remarkable betting race. Bookmakers opened Sneaky Paige as one of four $4.80 equal favourites along with Malkovich, Quick Tempo and Conscript, while Dragonstone was backed from $6 to $5 when the market opened.
Punters have rallied behind the speedy Malkovich to make him the $3.40 favourite, and Sneaky Paige has got out to $6.
Widdup will have Phearson in the Festival Stakes a race earlier at Rosehill.
Phearson won the Hawkesbury Provincial-Midway qualifier last year before running into a lot of trouble in the final and has continued to improve since.
He was the Goulburn Cup runner-up behind Festival favourite Grebeni before being outsprinted over 1300m at Newcastle when third to Ka Bling on Hunter day.
“We probably got that wrong – dropping back 100m in trip. He is looking for the 1500m,” Widdup said. “Now he has drawn well [in gate five] he will get a good run, and I think he is up to this sort of race.
“He has a really good turn of foot when he gets the right run, and he could surprise them on Saturday.
“It is a good time to test him because I have the Provincial Championships in mind for him as he still qualifies for it. He is a better horse now than in the autumn, and I think he could get into the final again.”
Duggan looks for a Christmas Cup with Torrens
Jenny Duggan had to watch as Torrens won the Christmas Cup last year, but she is thrilled to be back on her favourite horse at his favourite time of the year as he defends the crown at Rosehill on Saturday.
Duggan had taken time off to get her body right at this time last year, including injections to her neck to help recover from the lingering effects of a fall, but she was always going to return to riding.
Jenny Duggan will ride her favourite horse Torrens in the Christmas Cup.Credit: Getty
“I just needed to get my body right,” Duggan said. “It means I’m back now and feeling good.
“It was so exciting when I knew I was going to get back on Torrens because he has been such a good horse to me.”
The son of Adelaide had given Duggan a first group win when he took out the City Tatts Cup in 2021. That was part of a three-win burst for Duggan and Torrens that included the Beauford at Newcastle.
It was another year before Torrens won again in the Christmas Cup with Josh Parr in the saddle.
The seven-year-old has returned to his best form, running fourth to Land legend in the St Leger before chasing home Stroke Of Luck as the Beauford runner-up a couple of weeks ago.
“He really finds his form at this time of year, and it is as good as he has ever gone,” Duggan said.
“In his last two runs they have had to break track records to beat him, and he just needs to get over this sort of trip to show his best because he is just a really strong stayer.”
Torrens has put a good overall record of 10 wins from 39 starts, but a wet track at Rosehill would play against him.
“He likes firmer footing but when he won the Beauford the track was soft, so I’m just hoping the track can get back to that sort of range,” Duggan said.
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