A “heartbreaker” has given Wyong trainer Sara Ryan her second-biggest win in racing with victory in last Saturday’s million-dollar Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Randwick.
In a thrilling finish Matcha Latte ($4.20) got up by a long head from the favourite, Lord Of Biscay, with Imposant 2¼ lengths away in third.
It was quite a training triumph for Ryan as Matcha Latte has been plagued by injury and has only had five starts in the nearly two years he’s been in her stable.
“Matcha Latte’s broken my heart more times than once but we love him,” Ryan said. “I’ve always known his ability and for him to go and do that, it’s just fantastic.
“A big thanks to my team to get a horse like him back to perform at his absolute top. As a provincial trainer, this is our championship, so to come out here and win it with a horse like him, after so many issues, is fantastic.”
Winning jockey Ashley Morgan was quick to praise Ryan when interviewed post-race.
“A great job by Sara because the horse has had his issues and she’s done a great job to rehab him and bring him back.
“His form as a three-year-old was top class and he ran second in the Cameron Handicap behind a Group 1 winner.”
In monetary terms Matcha Latte’s win is second only to Attractable’s victory in the $3 million Big Dance of 2023 among Ryan’s 53 winners since July 2022.
Swooper’s Sapphire
Ryan wasn’t the only provincial trainer celebrating at Randwick, with Kris Lees-trained Wandjina mare Infancy causing a boilover in the final race on the program, the $300,000 Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) for fillies and mares,
Ridden by Jason Collett, Infancy ($21-$19) swooped from near last to record a half-length win over short-priced favourite Commemorative.
The winner paid $26.10 on the TAB.
Lu beauty
Earlier, the $200,000 listed Fernhill Mile (1600m) for two-year-olds saw Queanbeyan filly Spicy Lu ($6) lead all the way in an impressive performance to win by two lengths from Tupakara.
The winner, trained by Nick Olive and ridden by Rachel King, is now undefeated after three starts.
Her previous wins were in the country at Cowra and Albury and, while she competed against older horses both times, Saturday’s race represented a significant rise in class, as Olive pointed out after the win.
“When you win a country race it’s a big step up to a stakes race but this filly just keeps getting the job done.
“Before the race I said to Rachel that they might underestimate this filly so try to get to the front and dictate terms because if they leave you alone she’ll be hard to run down.”
Spicy Lu, a $30,000 purchase, has already won $139,700.
Around the traps
Another country cup went to a city stable last Friday when $2.20 favourite Campaldino took the $75,000 Orange Gold Cup (2100m) for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Winona Costin was the winning rider.
Country trainers did take the main support features, however, with $1.90 favourite Jolly Good Fellow winning the $50,000 Super Maiden (1280m) for Bathurst’s Dean Mirfin and $3.80 equal favourite Extravagent Lad taking the $35,000 Cup Day Sprint (1000m) for Goulburn-based Scott Collings.
The respective winning riders were apprentice Mitch Stapleford and veteran Mathew Cahill.
The same day at Port Macquarie, Murwillumbah trainer Mathew Dunn and three-kilo claiming apprentice Jett Newman combined for a double.
Saturday was cup day at Carrathool in the western Riverina and two border-hoppers from Wangaratta fought out the finish of the 1400-metre main event.
Eamonn’s Memory, trained by Andrew Dale and ridden by apprentice Amy O’Driscoll, scored by three lengths from the Craig Weeding-trained Controversial Miss. The Victorian pair started $4.40 equal favourites.
O’Driscoll had a day to remember, riding four winners on the six race program, three of them for Dale.
On the same afternoon at the Grenfell picnics, the old firm of Dubbo trainer Connie Greig and jockey Leandro Ribeiro combined to win the 1400-metre Grenfell Picnic Cup with $3.50 equal favourite Blackhill Kitty.
Easter feast
The ban on Good Friday racing in NSW proper persists, which means all eyes this Friday will be on Canberra for a program headed by the $30,000 Tuggeranong Cup (1600m).
Easter Saturday is cup day at Tocumwal in the southern Riverina, with the main race over 1300 metres.
Sunday sees the Back O’Bourke Picnic Race Club conduct its annual meeting at the famous town in the state’s north west, with the cup to be run over1600 metres.
On the same afternoon at Mudgee  there’s a $50,000 Super Maiden to be run over 1400 metres.
Easter Monday at Muswellbrook sees the running of the 1500-metre Jerrys Plains Cup.