Waller’s Providence provides landmark winners for McDonald and Wootton Bassett in classy Derby display
Trevor Marshallsea
ANZ News
The late Wootton Bassett’s (Iffraaj) legacy has been extended by his first Australian-bred elite winner after Chris Waller and James McDonald continued their phenomenal run of success with Providence’s win the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).
In a quinella for Waller and the China Horse Club - Newgate Farm axis, the strapping colt led home Monopolistic (Savabeel) by 0.94 lengths, with Les Bridge’s $91 longshot Inspired Legend (Dundeel) taking third a further 0.3 lengths away.
What's On
Chasing only his second win at start number 15, Providence was solid in betting as a $5 second elect for Saturday’s Eagle Farm Classic following his eye-catching third in Doomben’s Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3, 2000m).
And he didn’t disappoint in the $1 million feature as he shot his earnings well past the $625,000 figure paid for him by China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy when he was offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds’ at Inglis Easter 2024.
Jumping from gate six of 18, McDonald had Providence travelling sweetly just behind midfield, one off the fence as they went at a genuine pace.
McDonald eased well wide as the field drifted away from the fence around the home turn on the Soft 5 track, and the colt responded with a brilliant burst of acceleration. He chased down the leaders to hit the front at the 300 metres and dashed to a decisive two-length break, while $6.50 third-favourite Monopolistic followed him home.
Advertisement
Different Gravy (Ghaiyyath) produced a vastly improved run to take fourth at $13, almost four lengths ahead of $4.40 favourite Solid Gold (Savabeel), who enjoyed a favourable forward position but weakened late in her run.
Providence’s $600,000 first prize made Wootton Bassett - who died at Coolmore Australia last spring whilst standing at an Australian shuttle record fee of $385,000 (inc GST) - another contender in an intriguing second season sires’ battle.
He came into Saturday fourth on that table, $599,000 behind Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) in third and $749,000 behind top spot, with Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) and Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) the top two.
Waller celebrated his 201st elite success a week after he and McDonald took the Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) with Birdman (Free Eagle), and said Providence was an exciting colt with a promising future.
Should he keep developing, the son of MRC Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) placegetter Southbank (Fastnet Rock) will likely fill a hole for stamina on Newgate’s expansive, speed-centric stallion roster.
“Great ride from James, good team of owners. They constantly support racing and they've quinella’d the race with two nice stayers with bright futures,” Waller said.
“We just see Queensland each and every winter as a springboard for a lot of our better horses. And these horses are still on the up, so very exciting for connections.”
Waller said Providence was more effective when ridden quietly.
Advertisement
“Very much so, and that suits our style of training as well,” he said. “We're not hustle and bustle types of trainers. We just let the horses build through their preparation and in turn that's how we have to ride them on race day.
“If we try and ride them up on the speed it's hard because they're not used to it. So, yeah, races like this and grand finals seem to suit.”
McDonald, who took his Australian record Group 1 tally to 140 and also landed his 16th Australian Group 1 of the season, equalling the all-time record set by “Miracle” Mal Johnston in 1979-80, agreed Providence was best ridden well off the pace.
“It's just taken us four preps to work that out, but we've got there in the end. He's ran out pretty strong,” he said.
“He's probably not a true stayer, but at ten furlongs, he's pretty sharp and he's just come a long way in a short time. He's a lovely horse to do anything with and a great attitude
“To be fair, I couldn't have dreamed up a better run. It just worked out so, so well. He had such a resting run the first half and was able to just build into it when I wanted to. And he was strong.
“He's probably not a true stayer, but at ten furlongs, he's pretty sharp and he's just come a long way in a short time. He's a lovely horse to do anything with and a great attitude.
“It was a nice flying race and there was no real hiccup at all. He ducked in late, but it was because he was tired, but he's done a good job.”
Asked about his charges being well-presented, Waller - who has 465 named horses on his books - quipped: “Most times. I've still got slow horses. We've got more slow ones than anyone, but yeah, in the big races, we certainly have had a good run.”
With four starters in the Derby, Waller said the choice of jockeys came down to trying to give McDonald the best rides.
Advertisement
.jpg)
“So I've got to be accurate in my decisions,” the master trainer said. “He doesn't care really what he rides, he just obviously respects our decision and that's why he ended up on the winner.”
Thankfully for McDonald, Waller’s judgment appears extremely reliable.
“You obviously put your trust in the stable and hope that we are on the best one and he's normally pretty right all the time and he looks after us very well,” McDonald said.
Providence is the second foal and only runner of Southbank, whose filly by Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) was bought from Sledmere Stud’s draft at Magic Millions Gold Coast this year by Laurel Oak Bloodstock for $460,000.
The mare now has a weanling colt by Zoustar (Northern Meteor), who covered her again last spring.
Providence became Wootton Bassett’s fourth Australia-bred stakes winner, all of them coming in his second season of runners.
The late stallion has 86 stakes winners worldwide from 942 runners at a resounding 9.13 per cent.
JJ Atkins next on the agenda for Berzelius following rousing Sires’ Produce win
Australia’s highest-priced stallion Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) racked up stakes winner number 19 when longshot colt Berzelius defied a betting drift to lift Queensland’s Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
A $340,000 purchase at Magic Millions Gold Coast for trainer Michael Freedman, Michael Wallace and Kia Ora Stud, the well-bred Berzelius has spent most of this preparation at Freedman’s Gold Coast satellite stable under the guidance of the trainer’s brother and northern foreman Lee.
Something of a late bloomer, he debuted with an $11 victory in an 1110-metre Doomben two-year-old handicap on April 22 before being a well-beaten fourth of eight in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) as a $3.70 second-favourite.
That put him into the Sires’ as a drifting $31 chance, but under a good ride by Tommy Berry from gate eight of 16 - and settling well after the addition of visors and a cross-over nose band - the colt boosted his value greatly with a tough victory in the $1 million juvenile feature.
Sporting Kia Ora’s two-blues, Berzelius settled just worse than midfield, three-wide with cover behind an average pace on a drying Soft 5, before coming eight-deep as the widest runner when the field fanned around the home turn.
The colt knuckled down to his task strongly in the straight as he and Jenny Graham’s $10 shot Vantorix (Captivant) drew clear to fight out the finish. Berzelius won the battle, coming away to score by 0.32 lengths.
Tony Gollan’s Martis (Trapeze Artist) was third, a further 1.19 lengths away at $7.50. Top elects I Am Dirty (I Am Invincible) at $3.70 and Blind Raise (Ace High) at $4 disappointed, finishing seventh and ninth.
Bred by SF Bloodstock, Newgate Farm’s Henry Field and Hollymount Stud, Berzelius could yet make a barnmate at Newgate for Extreme Choice, whose 19 black type victors come from just 157 runners at a thumping 12.1 per cent, and who’ll stand this spring at a national record-equalling $385,000 (inc GST).
Fourteen of Extreme Choice’s stakes winners have scored at Group level, with six winning Group 1s.
“It was a great win, a great win,” Lee Freedman said.
“It was great for Newgate too as they’ll probably stand this horse when he finishes.
“We came up here and he won his maiden at his first start and then he was a bit disappointing at the Gold Coast, but he never got around that track, and he needed headgear on because he was very green.
“Probably his last 200 was the best of the race at the Gold Coast, other than the winner, so we came here today thinking he wasn't a 20-1 shot, he was probably an 8-1 or 10-1 shot.”
Freedman said Berzelius would likely continue to the $1 million JJ Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m) at Eagle Farm in a fortnight.
“He’s a big baby, but you know, he's an Extreme Choice so we know how sharp they are. He's only going to keep getting better
“I think so, although he's a work in progress and he'll be a better three-year-old,” Freedman added.
Berry said the 1600 metres of the Atkins “won’t be a problem”, adding Berzelius had benefitted greatly on Saturday from his gear changes.
“We really liked him heading into the Gold Coast, but he didn't really get around the track and after that Michael said why don't we put a bit of head gear on?” Tommy Berry said.
“I said, ‘Well if you're going to go with headgear, you'll need a crossover [noseband] as well, because he's still doing a little bit wrong’.
“He’s a big baby, but you know, he's an Extreme Choice so we know how sharp they are. He's only going to keep getting better.
“He was a lot more switched on today, even in the barriers. He was standing there nice and quiet and focussed, and he jumped today and was able to get a good run.
“I had the opportunity to stay on the second placegetter’s back or move out around the bend, but he hit a bit of a flat spot. I just wanted to get him into the race and he still did a little bit wrong in the straight, but he’ll improve again after today.”
Berzelius is the eighth foal of Secret Liaison (Artie Schiller), a dual Melbourne Listed victor who’s thrown seven winners from eight to race. Second foal Styling City (Starspangledbanner) is one of the mare’s four city winners and was Group 3 placed. The extended family contains four more Group winners, descending from third dam Surprise Affair (Blushing Groom).
Bred by Contract Racing, Secret Liaison has only had one foal since Berzelius in what’s now a weanling colt by Newgate’s In The Congo (Snitzel).
Headley Grange hits the big time with Kingsford-Smith victory
Redoubtable gelding Headley Grange (Exosphere) took his role as an Inglis Digital poster boy to stunning new heights when he became an elite and weight-for-age winner in Saturday’s Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) at Eagle Farm.
Trained by a master of second-hand horses in Joe Pride and well ridden by quiet achiever Adam Hyeronimus, Headley Grange lined up as a solid $9 chance after a freshen-up following four consistent, if unplaced, runs in the Sydney autumn.
Most money went the way of Ciaron Maher’s Jimmystar (Per Incanto), who firmed from $4.80 to $3.80 late as he pursued a first win in five starts since November, while Chris Waller’s Fangirl (Sebring) was fancied at $8.50.
And the market had it right, if perhaps not in the right order, as the only three runners in single figure odds filled the trifecta.
Jumping from gate three of 16, Headley Grange travelled strongly in fifth, one off the fence, behind what was a healthy pace, while Jimmystar from gate 12 had to contend with being three-wide without cover a length off the leaders.
Maher’s Another Wil (Street Boss), who’d travelled in second, did well to hold the lead for much of the straight, but while Jimmystar tried valiantly to haul him in it was Headley Grange poking through the pack to the inside who won the day, if narrowly. He edged Jimmystar by 0.09 lengths, while Fangirl made enormous ground after straightening near last, finishing a further 0.32 lengths back.
Headley Grange’s win capped a wonderful story of a horse relied upon for his consistent, tradesman-like performances who can now be hailed as a Group 1 winner.
“I bred him and had an argument with his initial trainer. I said, ‘He’s too good for the bush’, so he said, ‘Buy me out then’
The five-year-old was bred by NSW’s Bob Manwaring and put into work with Coffs Harbour-based trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith. But after three starts including a Grafton debut win and an unplaced try at Eagle Farm, a dispute between the two men led to Headley Grange being offered on Inglis Digital in November, 2023.
“I bred him and had an argument with his initial trainer,” Manwaring said. “I said, ‘He’s too good for the bush’, so he said, ‘Buy me out then’.
“So we put him on Inglis Digital and I got a mate to come in with me because I knew we’d have to pay a bit for him, but the rest is history.”
Headley Grange was bought for $120,000, officially knocked down to HDB Bloodstock.
Sent to Pride, he won at Kembla Grange in his first start for his new trainer, then scored at the same track and his home course of Warwick Farm before a spell.
His next campaign in the summer of 2024-25 brought two wins - including at Randwick - and three seconds from five starts. After another Randwick victory, in a Benchmark 94 (1300m), he graduated to black type last June with victory in that track’s Civic Stakes (Listed, 1400m).
Headley Grange then proved his class last spring by taking Newcastle’s Cameron Handicap (Gr 3, 1500m) and Rosehill’s $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m).
Pride lifted him to the top level for his four runs in the recent Sydney autumn when plagued by wide barriers - a fourth in the Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m), a fifth in the Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m), a seventh in the Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) and a fifth in the All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
But Saturday’s success in the $1 million Kingsford-Smith finally confirms him as an elite winner, with Manwaring’s Inglis Digital outlay hugely justified. The gelding has now won 11 of 25 starts for Pride, earning $2.44 million in the process.
“He’s up close to $2.5 million now. It’s unbelievable but hopefully there’s more to come even in a few weeks in the Stradbroke,” Manwaring said of Headley Grange, who’s now a $7.50 favourite for that $3 million, 1400-metre handicap on June 13, in which he has 55 kilograms.
Pride confirmed Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) starts for both Headley Grange and veteran Private Eye (Al Maher), who ran sixth in the Kingsford-Smith at $13.
“He [Headley Grange] has been a horse who's had no luck all autumn,” Pride said. “He's battled some pretty ordinary barriers, and it hasn't quite panned out for him, but it certainly did today.
“It's the right time of year to have a horse like that up, so we'll get him home to Warwick Farm for a couple of weeks, then back up here for the Stradbroke.
“But let's not get too worried about that; just going to savour what happened today.”
Hyeronimus, who’s ridden Headley Grange in ten races for seven wins, was ecstatic over the gelding’s Group 1 ascension.
“He’s a beautiful horse, I actually really love him,” the 35-year-old said after his seventh top tier success.
“He's such a kind horse and he has his few little tricks, but we seem to get on really well and the way I was able to ride him today was perfect. He enjoys being ridden like that.
“He needs to be bottled up like I was. And when I was able to dart back to the inside … I was worried that the horses out wide had probably put too much of a margin on him.
“But within three strides, I look across and I'm in front and we're at the winning post and it couldn't have went to script any better.”
Asked if the horse could win the Stradbroke, Hyeronimus replied: “I can’t see why not.”
Headley Grange is the second and best of four named foals for his dam Hard Go Jo (Hard Spun), a three-time country winner whose three runners have all won, and who died in June, 2024.
The gelding is one of 11 stakes winners for Exosphere - who died two months later - at 4.2 per cent of runners. His stock includes another Group 1 winner in the mare Skybird, who ran 13th in Saturday’s Kingsford-Smith.
Stradbroke to follow for Regal Award after Fred Best success
Highly rated punters’ headache Regal Award (Ole Kirk) became his young sire’s seventh stakes winner and capped a major day for trainer Phillip Stokes and jockey Lachie Neindorf in taking Saturday’s Fred Best Classic (Gr 3, 1400m) at Eagle Farm.
A total of 35 minutes after claiming the Lord Mayor’s Cup (Gr 3, 1800m) with Athanatos (I Am Immortal), Stokes and Neindorf celebrated a race-to-race black type double when Regal Award overcame a wide gate to score a dominant win in the three-year-old set weights event.
Jumping from barrier 14 of 18, the gelding was forced to travel three wide without cover just behind leading pair Grafterburners (Graff) and Skyhook (Written Tycoon), though the leaders set no records for pace.
In the straight, Skyhook, who’d come from gate 18, and Regal Award pulled away to make it a two-horse race, and it was the latter who prevailed, coming clear in the end to score by 1.06 lengths.
Ryan and Alexiou’s Skyhook held second at $6, while Bjorn Baker’s smart filly Within The Law (Lucky Vega) was the best of the chasers, making good ground from near last on the turn to run a 1.75-length third at $13. The $5 favourite Brave Monarch (Brave Smash) finished fourth.
Regal Award started at $18 - and drifted.
Withdrawn from Inglis Easter by his renowned breeder, Northern Territory pastoralist Viv Oldfield, and gelded before he’d raced, Regal Award looked an extremely bright prospect last spring.
After a 2.25-length Sandown win at his third outing was followed two runs later by a thumping 7.5-length victory over 1600 metres at Caulfield, he went into Flemington’s Carbine Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) as a $1.90 favourite.
But his bubble burst somewhat when he ran a well-beaten second that day, and what followed in the autumn had been a battle to restore his reputation.
After a seventh at $11 in Rosehill’s unsuitably short Darby Munro Stakes (Listed, 1200m), he was backed in to $1.90 in Randwick’s South Pacific Classic (Listed, 1400m) but could manage only third.
He then was a $2.70 favourite for the Hawkesbury Guineas (Gr 3, 1400m) but came fifth.
“He's done well since he's been here and it looks like we’ve got to keep him here for another two weeks now
Thus punters had largely sacked him by Saturday but - with a tongue tie removed - he responded by showing his full ability, confirming a shot at the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) at the same course in a fortnight.
“We’ve always known this horse had a lot of ability, but he’s been very frustrating and hard to train, so full credit to the team,” Stokes said.
“He's done well since he's been here and it looks like we’ve got to keep him here for another two weeks now.
“We're feeling good. His work's been really good, the horse is thriving up here, and it was just great for him to bring his A-Grade game.
“Let's hope he pulls up well but we’ll probably have to find another rider because the 49.5 kilos, Lachie won’t ride that [in the Stradbroke].
“It’s very rewarding. The owners are very good friends of mine. Viv Oldfield and I grew up as good friends in Alice Springs.”
Beaming after his double, Neindorf was able to joke about Regal Award’s roguish ways.
“It’s a great training effort,” he said. “This horse, he's difficult - a bit like me when I was about ten to 15 - very difficult.
“But he's maturing slowly but surely, and once again, like I said with the last fellow [Athanatos], Phil's taking his time and he's travelled him around, and as a result of that, he's mentally calmed down a lot more and matured, and he's a horse I know so well.”
He added: “I was able to find a beautiful rhythm with him and just approaching the 700 he wanted to get a little bit keen.
“I had to just flush him out three wide because I know he's got that much stamina this horse and that's his best asset.”
Regarding not being able to make the gelding’s Stradbroke weight, Neindorf said: “I might be strapping. I'll give him a good luck pat and tell him to behave himself whoever does ride. But regardless, I'll be cheering him.”
Regal Award is the first foal of triple Melbourne Group 3 winner Sovereign Award, whose Rosemont Stud sire Shamus Award (Snitzel) is co-owned by Oldfield.
The mare’s colt by Anamoe (Street Boss) was bought by Stokes at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $350,000. She now has a weanling filly by the same sire, but missed on a return to Ole Kirk last spring.
Last season’s champion first season sire Ole Kirk, standing at Vinery Stud this spring for $110,000 (inc GST), up from $99,000, has seven stakes winners from 97 runners at 7.22 per cent, and currently sits fifth on the second season sires’ table.
