Sport
27 July, 2025
Racing report with Colin Hodges
Raced Warren (Tuesday, July 15) and Coonabarabran (Saturday, July 19).
Raced - Warren, Tuesday, July 15
Formerly from Coonamble and now a leading trainer at Goulburn, Danny Williams was back in the central west last Tuesday, July 15 to land a winning double at Warren with Everlasting Stars and Winning Emotions.
Strongly supported in the 1200 metres Drovers Dash Benchmark 66 Handicap from $3.80 to $3.40, Everlasting Stars is owned by Bob Charley AO a former professional punter, racing administrator, noted raconteur and 2021 inductee to the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame.
Ridden by top jockey Mathew Cahill, Everlasting Stars was fourth to the turn then followed the inside rail all the way home to score by over a length from Rothgate (Izzy Neale, $12) and Deion (Jordan Quince, $3.20 favourite).
Winning Emotions (Nick Heywood, $3.70 favourite) completed the Danny Williams double when taking the lead over the closing stages for a hard fought win on the heavy track, from Hard To Impress (Mikayla Weir, $4.20) and the fast finishing Lockdown Lad (Jordan Quince, $51).
Dubbo trainer Michael Mulholland who won the Carinda Cup on the Saturday, July 19 with Tavanasia also had a winning double at Warren with Jasper’s Way and The Impeckable.
Owned by Kel Turner from Dubbo, Jasper’s Way is a promising type and made it two wins and two placings from six starts when taking out the 1600 metres Muster Mile Class One and Maiden Plate.
Parked behind the leaders by Jake Pracey-Holmes, Jasper’s Way ($2.60 to $2.25 favourite) gained an inside run and won by over four lengths from Bruce’s Boy (Mikayla Weir, $15) and A Boy Named Soo (Kody Nestor, $51).
Loud, Foxwell and East Harlem were the leaders turning for home in the 1400 metres metres Ringer’s Run Benchmark 58 Handicap before The Impeckable (Nick Heywood, $4.60 equal favourite) coming from midfield, swooped on the outside to beat Jade Division (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $17) and Ain’t She Swell (Izzy Neale, $41).
The other races were won by the Jeremy Gask, Scone-trained Major Lightning (Siena Grima, $1.60 favourite), Spring Prospect (Zoe Hunt, $2.10 to $2.70 favourite) from the David Smith stable at Mudgee and the Brett Robb, Dubbo-trained Miss Karis ($2.20 to $1.80 favourite) ridden by Jordan Quince.
Raced at Coonabarabran – Saturday, July 19
Determined to make a success of his return to race riding, 26-year-old Nick Hyde set the ball rolling when winning the opening event aboard outsider Proofreader on Saturday at Coonabarabran. Tall for a jockey, Nick found his weight too difficult to control during his initial brief stint race-riding and after his sole winner, Cheap Charlie at Nowra in July 2021, he took a lengthy break.
With a fresh approach, Nick Hyde is now apprenticed to Gulgong trainer Brett Thompson and Proofreader became his first winner since the return to race riding last month.
Responsible for a very good ride, Nick Hyde brought the Thompson trained debut maker Proofreader ($14) from near last with a rails run to win the 900 metres Imperial Hotel Maiden Handicap from Winning Winnie (Nick Heywood, $7.50) and Dendina (Zoe Hunter, $12).
Ironically, Winning Winnie is trained by Darren Hyde, the father of Nick Hyde.
Brett Thompson later explained the well named Proofreader (by Press Statement) is owned by Albert Nocera, an optometrist from Bowral whose mother was a proofreader for a newspaper publisher.
Completing a memorable day for the Hyde family from Dubbo, the Darren Hyde-trained Adelsun (Nick Heywood, $20) overcame the outside barrier to come with a late burst and edge out Mean Girls (Wendy Peel, $8) and the third place dead heaters Billabong Rose (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $4 favourite) and Hermosa Rosa (Jordan Quince, $9.50) in the 1200 metres Imperial Hotel Super Star Staff Benchmark 58 Handicap.
In possibly the closest finish all season in the central west, a neck margin separated the first five placegetters in the 1600 metres Imperial Hotel Class One and Maiden Plate.
Parked behind the leading pack by Ashleigh Stanley, Gloryess ($6.50) surged along the rails to win by a short half head from Aleishka (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $5.50) which flashed home from last while a nose away third was Wicked Games (Nick Heywood, $8.50) narrowly in front of Joshua and Show Us Ya Texts.
“Gloryess needs a strong rider and for that reason I booked Ashleigh Stanley from Bathurst who I considered the right jockey for the horse”, revealed winning trainer Gavin Groth from Gunnedah.
Dubbo-based apprentice Zoe Hunt and Mudgee trainer David Smith have combined for several winners this season and further success came at Coonabarabran with Getting Tipsy in the 1200 metres Imperial Hotel Maiden Plate.
Starting the $2.05 favourite, Getting Tipsy (from the mare Day Drinking) enjoyed a nice run tracking the leading pair and finished best to account for Miss Heroic (Georgina McDonnell, $4.60) and Barrieanna (Hannah Johnston, $7).
The second leg of a double for Brett Thompson was Tropicana’s Cube (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $1.85 to $2 favourite) in the 1600 metres Imperial Hotel Benchmark 50 Handicap while a good ride by apprentice Hannah Johnston saw the Ray Hartley, Tamworth-trained Ardonaugh ($3.50) finished strongly on the inside to win the 900 metres Imperial Hotel Gateway To The Warrumbungles Class Three Handicap.
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