“I didn’t think my first stakes winner would come at $151 but here we are,” said Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan after Queen Regent won last Saturday’s listed $201,000 Woodlands Stakes for two-year-old fillies at Scone.
Queen Regent, whose only previous start was a fourth in a maiden at her home track, settled back in the field under Jay Ford before charging home late to win by a length and a quarter. 
Following the win, Ryan told media that he had been trying to sell the filly before her breeder, Geoff Wilson, offered to take a share in her. 
“We really just wanted to bring her for a trip away to educate her,” he said. 
“I just told Jay that, whatever he does, just get some cover because I didn’t want her weak late like she was on debut. She got it all wrong and just overcooked herself, so it was great to see her switch off like that today. 
“She’ll go to the paddock now.”
Ford was delighted to be aboard Ryan’s first stakes winner.
“We’ve been friends for a long time so to bring this up for Blake is great,” he said.
Patience pays
Newcastle’s Nathan Doyle was another provincial trainer on the winners list at Scone, taking the 1300-metre benchmark 72 with Lightning Glory ($10).
The four-year-old, ridden by three-kilo claimer Shannen Llewellyn, brought up a hat-trick in recording a half-length win over the favourite, Nitro. 
“It’s great for the owners because this horse had so many niggling injuries early on his career that he never got to the races until he was a four-year-old and they were just so patient,” Doyle said. 
“They never whinged once, they just let us do our thing and give the horse time, and now they’re reaping the rewards.”
Doyle praised the ride of Llewellyn. 
“She just put him in behind and gave him an easy time. She cut the corner and it was a perfect ride.”
Saturn stars
Earlier, Wyong’s Damien Lane took the 1700-metre benchmark 72 Midway Handicap with Oakfield Saturn, who raced away to an impressive 2½-length win under Aaron Bullock.
“She’s a good mare,” Lane said. “Going to the Provincial Championship it was always going to be a battle second up and she drew wide and got back. 
“Not a lot went right so we freshened her up with the five weeks between runs and up to the 1700 metres, which she’s being crying out for. 
“The draw was sticky today (gate 12) but Aaron gave her a good ride. 
“Where we go now I’m not too sure but I think there’s a good race in her somewhere. Maybe we look at a 2000-metre benchmark 88 in town or look to a country cup and go that way.”
 Bullock too sees a bright future for the American Pharoah mare.
“She does everything you want her to,” he said. “I know they had to keep her at the 1400 metres for the Championships but this is her pet distance and you’ll see more wins from her now.”
‘Gazelle’ may go north
Wanaruah could be headed for Queensland in search of richer pickings following his record-breaking win for the local stable of Brett and Georgie Cavanough in the 1100-metre benchmark 78 at Scone. 
“He had a great record when he came to us with just one blemish,” Brett Cavanough said of Wanaruah, who had his first six starts for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. 
“He’s obviously a very classy horse. He’s got form around Autumn Glow and Angel Capital so he’s no slouch. 
“Queensland is there as an option but we’re in no hurry to do anything. We might pick off the low-hanging fruit, as they say.”
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy was full of praise for the father-daughter co-trainers.
“Brett and Georgie had him in top condition for today,” he said. 
“He felt a million bucks. He was like a gazelle out there. 
“He offset the draw (13) and got to his spot comfortably. He kicked for home and got a little tired late but it was a good, dominant win.
“Being only second up today, it wouldn’t surprise if there’s more improvement to come.”
The other local team to get on the board at Scone last Saturday was that of Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich in the 1600-metre Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap. Autumn King, who started a well backed $2.30 favourite, won by a half-length from Moon Sweeper.
Astunner again
Wagga trainer Darrell Burnet took home his fourth and richest country cup of 2026 with Astunner when the six-year-old chestnut won last Sunday’s $40,000 Parkes Cup (1600m) under Mikayla Weir by a comfortable two lengths.
In February and March, Astunner won non-TAB cups at Tumut, Holbrook and Carrathool.
Coming attractions 
This Saturday sees the cups circuit head to outback Cobar for the 1700-metre Cobar Cup. It’s also cup day at Moree in the state’s north, with the feature over 1400 metres. 
Sunday sees the Gunnedah Jockey Club stage its Showcase meeting, featuring the Gunnedah Showcase Cup (1600m), a Big Dance eligibility race, the Lightning Handicap (1000m) and a $50,000 Super Maiden over 1400 metres.