Canberra trainer Luke Pepper has the 2027 Country Championships in his sights for Brave Xena after the lightly raced mare won her way out of Highway company at Rosehill last Saturday.
The day’s Highway was a 1200-metre Class 3, and apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald — showing no ill effects from a fall at Gosford two days earlier — quickly had Brave Xena ($4.80) settled on the rails trailing the favourite, Yesspecially. 
Soon after entering the straight, Fitzgerald drove her mount to the front then held off the late challenge of Athena’s Treasure to win by a long neck, with Yesspecially a half-length further away in third place. 
“I have a lovely book of rides today and I never want to miss a meeting so I did everything I could to make sure I’m right to ride, and I feel good,” Fitzgerald said on returning to scale. 
Pepper described Brave Xena as “a little ripper”. 
“She’s only knee-high to a grasshopper but her runs this prep have been unreal and she was given a great ride by Mollie. It’s nice when it all works out.” 
Brave Xena now has four wins from eight starts and is ineligible for Highway races, which don’t go past Class 3.
“If she can get that 1400 metres, she’s possibly a Country Championships horse,” Pepper said.
Goal never in doubt
Kembla Grange trainer Joseph Ible was full of praise for Coriah Keatings after the three-kilo claimer led all the way on Common Goal ($14) in the 1300-metre Midway at Rosehill.
The five-year-old never looked in danger of defeat in winning by a length and a quarter from Hellova Nature. 
“Coriah’s ridden a few for me lately for a few placings so it’s great to get a win today,” Ible said. “She’s a talented young apprentice who is going places.”
As for Common Goal, he had this to say: “I was really pleased with his first-up run. His condition let out late but it held him in good stead for today. 
“We were coming in with a fit, strong horse, so the plan from the inside draw was to make it a genuine contest. 
“He’s a horse that loves to get out, free-roll and get into a rhythm and it played to his advantage today.”
Around the traps
Jean Van Overmeire took the riding honours at Hawkesbury last Saturday with three winners including the John Sargent-trained Dance With Destiny ($3.20) in the $60,000 Super Maiden over 1800 metres.
The four-year-old took longer to break through than the average Super Maiden winner (11 starts) but longer trips will clearly be the key for the Contributer mare.
The day’s feature race, the $200,000 listed Ladies Day Cup (1500m), went to Hyperbolic ($7.50), ridden by Adam Farragher for Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup. 
Less than a half-length separated the first three across the line, with $4.80 favourite Paltrow Miss second and Sandpaper third.
The previous day’s feature Kempsey Cup (1450m) went to Golden Copper ($21), trained at Coffs Harbour by Aiden St Vincent and ridden by Courtney Bellamy. 
Earlier, the Super Maiden over the same trip saw Gee Pee Jay Aye ($61) win in a boilover for Newcastle trainer Scott Aspery, having beaten just one horse home at Muswellbrook at her only previous start.
 Luke Rolls, the winning rider, took the honours at Kempsey with a treble. 
Apprentice critical
Sunday’s Warren meeting was marred by a tragic fall in the feature Cotton Cup (1600m), which saw Marnoo euthanised after breaking a leg and apprentice Izzy Neale airlifted to Dubbo hospital with serious head injuries. 
She remained in a critical condition early this week.
Diego Montes de Oca was dislodged from Shadow Dane in the incident. He was transported to Dubbo hospital via road with foot injuries.
Brett Robb-trained $3 favourite Micro Mikki won the race narrowly under Clayton Gallagher. 
Coming up
This Friday sees the Gundagai-Adelong Race Club stage its Showcase meeting, highlighted by the famous Snake Gully Cup (1400m), carrying a $100,000 purse and eligibility for the 2027 Big Dance to the winner. 
The main supporting races will be the $50,000 Tuckerbox (1000m) and a $50,000 Super Maiden (1180m).
With the Sydney spring carnival over, the Saturday focus switches to the provincials, starting with Newcastle for the $1 million listed Herald Hunter (1300m), supported by the $300,000 listed Beauford (2300m), the $250,000 Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) for three-year-olds and the $160,000 Max Lees Classic (900m) for two-year-olds.
Saturday is also Bingara Cup day in the New England region, while the Gundagai carnival concludes with the aptly named Hair of the Dog Cup, a benchmark 66 over 1800 metres.