Ciaron Maher is looking to a pair of imports to help him defend his title in this year’s Warrnambool Cup.
Maher, the former Winslow local who won the Warrnambool Cup for the first time in 2025 with Smokin’ Romans, already has Irish stayers Go Daddy and Kings Valley aimed at the feature flat race of Warrnambool’s May racing carnival.
“At this stage I’ve penciled in Go Daddy and Kings Valley but there’s a few others that I’m keeping a close eye on,” he said. 
“It always takes time for imports to find their feet in Australia. 
“It was a huge thrill to come back home and win the Warrnambool Cup for the first time.” 
Maher’s star jumper Stern Idol is on track to line up again in Warrnambool’s $150,000 Brierly Steeplechase on Tuesday May 5. Stern Idol, who won the jumps feature in 2024, resumed with a fourth placing in a flat distance race at Sandown on March 11.
“He’s in great shape,” Maher said. “We’ll kick off his jumps campaign in a steeplechase at Terang on April 19. I’m sure he’ll be suited by the wide open spaces, and that should be a great pipe-opener for the Brierly.”
Maher, who has won the Grand Annual Steeplechase on seven occasions, says he won’t have a starter in that race this year but will have a big team across the three-day carnival.
Wintery rethink
Group 1-winning trainer Aaron Purcell will drop lightly raced filly Wintery back in distance following her unplaced run in a 1200-metre race at Caulfield last Saturday.
With Tom Madden in the saddle, Wintery finished ninth behind Nostra Bella in the $200,000 VOBIS Gold Dash.
The Warrnambool trainer said Wintery would now race exclusively in the 1000-1100 metre range.
“I don’t think the rise in distance and carrying 59 kilograms helped our chances,” Purcell said. 
“She seems to have pulled up well, but we’ve learnt she struggles to run out a strong 1200 metres.”
From 12 starts Wintery has two wins, five minor placings and $199,285 in earnings.
Quinny hits the road
Veteran Crossley trainer Quinton Scott shows no signs of slowing down. 
Scott, 79, has six horses in work and made his annual trip to Adelaide this week for the Magic Millions yearling sales.
“I’ve been going to the Adelaide sales for more than 20 years,” he said. “We’ve been lucky enough to have picked up a few nice yearlings in that time and I’m hoping the same applies this year.”
Scott and wife Barb visited their great mate Mick Robins at Nhill on the drive to SA. Robins, who trained Rain Lover to win the 1968 and 1969 Melbourne Cups, is the oldest living Cup-winning trainer at 95.
“Mick was in great form,” Scott said. “He keeps a close eye on what’s happening. It was wonderful to catch up with him for a few hours and see he’s going well.”
Raiders rule
Warrnambool trainers and jockeys made a successful cross-border raid at Mount Gambier last Friday, winning three of the eight races.
Tom Madden scored on Milady ($4.40) for Peter Chow in a 2070-metreaiden, Jack Hill steered home Bare To Witness ($3.80 favourite) for Jo Mugavin in a 1211-metre 0-56 and apprentice Jordyn Weatherley won on $3 favourite Dantooine for Tom Dabernig in a benchmark 68 over the same trip.