Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde will plot a path to the $250,000 Heritage Cup at Flemington on November 5 for his New Zealand-bred stayer Hit The Road Jack after the eight-year-old ran second in the listed Ansett Stakes (2400m) at Mornington last Sunday.
The $250,000 Heritage Cup, a new event over 2000 metres on the Melbourne Cup card, is an ideal race for Hit The Road Jack as it’s restricted to Australian- and New Zealand-bred stayers.
Wilde’s foreman Liam Hoy said Hit The Road Jack was gallant in defeat on Sunday.
“He hasn’t put a foot wrong since coming into the stable,” Hoy said.
“From his seven starts he’s won two races and run second three times. The furthest he’s been back is fourth.
“Symon will map out a path to get him to the Heritage Cup. The only thing we’d be hoping for is a bit of give in the track because he appreciates that sort of going.”
From his seven starts for Wilde, Hit The Road Jack has won $226,620 in prizemoney.
Patience pays
Colac trainer Daryl Cannon was delighted when his mare Wyuna Star finally broke her maiden status at Warrnambool last week.
With Alana Kelly in the saddle, Wyuna Star was too good for her rivals in a maiden over 2000 metres, at what was her 14th start but her first beyond 1800 metres. She landed some good bets in doing so, backed from $6.50 to start $4.40 second favourite.
Cannon, who has 10 horses in work and still rides trackwork at age 65, said Wyuna Star had worked well in the lead-up to last week’s race.
“I was confident she’d run well,” he said. “It’s taken her 14 races to get the maiden off her back but with a bit of luck she would have won one earlier.
“She’s no star but she’s honest. I think we’ll give her one more run at Murtoa before giving her a break.”
Cannon said his trackwork riding duties were both necessary and enjoyable.
“It keeps me fit. We’re like all other training tracks — we have a shortage of trackwork riders, so there’s no other option.”
The maiden victory took Wyuna Star’s prizemoney to $39,180.
Light fantastic
Talented jockey Teo Nugent is looking forward to Melbourne’s spring carnival with confidence.
The alumnus of Brauer College in Warrnambool has his fingers crossed he’ll snag lightweight rides in the Caulfield and Melbourne cups.
From three rides in the Melbourne Cup Nugent has placed third, fourth and sixth.
“The compressed weight scale in this year’s Melbourne Cup will really help me,” the 26-year-old jockey said.
“I walk around at 52 kilos but with a bit of notice I can get down to 50 with no problems.
“I’ve got my fingers crossed my old boss Ciaron (Maher) might offer me a lightweight ride. It looks at this early stage like he might have three or four runners.”
Nugent had ridden 399 winners to Monday of this week including dead-heater Portland Sky in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate of 2021.
Oh, what a night
Good mates David Holscher, Ben Woonton, Jiah Falcke and Joe Woonton had plenty to cheer about at The Valley last Friday night.
The four, all raised in south-western Victoria, have shares in horses that won under lights with syndication group Bennett Racing.
Baraqiel, who has all four mates in his ownership, won a $130,000 benchmark 84 while Southport Tycoon, who has Falcke and Ben Woonton among his owners, took out the $2 million Group 1 Manikato Stakes.
Holscher said it was a huge thrill to be trackside when both horses won.
“We were really excited after Baraqiel but it all went to another level in the Manikato,” he said.
“I don’t have a share in Southport Tycoon but I was happy for Jiah and Ben. It was a huge win.”