Blue-blood mare leads way in stakes double for Pride at Hawkesbury

Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride will chase bigger targets in Queensland with regally bred mare City Of Lights after a breakthrough stakes victory in the group 3 Hawkesbury Crown (1300m) as part of a treble for the stable on Saturday.

Out of the same dam as Winx, Vegas Showgirl, and by champion Japanese sire Deep Impact, five-year-old City Of Lights hung on by a short head under Chad Schofield in a thrilling battle with Tashi in the closing stages of the fillies and mares race, held on a heavy 8.

Chad Schofield riding City Of Lights to victory in the Hawkesbury Crown on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images

It was a fifth win – and her most valuable – in 13 starts for City Of Lights, owned and bred by John Camilleri.

“It’s extremely important and I’ve got to say I’ve never had a horse with a pedigree like hers,” Pride said.

“It’s a pedigree made in heaven – a half sister to Winx by one of the best stallions ever to stand on the planet, so it’s pretty amazing.

“It doesn’t guarantee they are going to be good horses, but she is a good horse and it’s nice to see her coming good as an older mare.”

Pride is now looking to better fillies and mares races, such as the group 2 Dane Ripper and group 1 Tatts Tiara, in Queensland, with the rich broodmare prospect.

“After winning something like that, you’d give the Dane Ripper or something like that a go because there’s no use winning a listed race,” he said.

“If she’s racing, she needs to be racing in better class races she hasn’t won before, otherwise she shouldn’t be racing. She’s not here to win prizemoney.”

Dragonstone gave Pride a stakes double when he edged out stablemate In Flight in the listed Gold Rush (1100m). Cool Jakey made it a treble overall when he led all the way in the last.

FREEDMAN WEIGHS UP OPTIONS

Trainer Anthony Freedman said Punch Lane may race on to the Queensland winter carnival after sealing a place in the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) in November at Randwick with victory in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m).

Racing for a third consecutive Saturday, Punch Lane repeated his front-running effort from last week at Randwick, when he dominated the benchmark 100 handicap (1500m) by four lengths on soft going.

Again under Nash Rawiller, Punch Lane led on Saturday before kicking clear in the straight as the $2.30 favourite. He finished one-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Osipenko.

It gave Rawiller a double on the day after earlier winning on Able Willie for Chris Waller in a benchmark 78 (1100m).

“He’s tough as nails and it’s been a great training effort,” Rawiller said.

“Three weeks in a row, not many can do that, and he’s come here today and first out of the gates and first into the bridle ... he was better than last time.”

COLT DELIVERS HEADLINE WIN

Randwick trainer Paul Snowden was eyeing the Fred Best Classic and a potential shot at the group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in Queensland with Media World after the decision not to geld the $1.4 million buy paid off in the group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m).

The Written Tycoon colt, a Yulong purchase at the 2023 Inglis Easter Sale, led the $250,000 race under Tyler Schiller and looked to have kicked away late before Just Party launched in the final 100m. Media World held on by a half-head to hand Snowden a fifth Hawkesbury Guineas.

The win followed a first-up midweek victory at Warwick Farm. Media World’s only other win in 10 starts came a year ago in the 2YO Clarendon Stakes at Hawkesbury.

Trainer Paul Snowden.Credit: Getty

“It’s been a good ride with him. He’s been a nice horse all the way through and it was a good result today,” Snowden said.

“I think he’s come back a better horse. We were very tempted to geld him, but Yulong wanted to give him one more chance as a colt and I’m glad they did. He’s paid dividends. He’s won a group race and hopefully he can go on to Brisbane and do something else.

“He’ll go to the Fred Best and, if he runs well in that, I definitely will think about [the Stradbroke].”

It was also an exciting win for prominent owners Frank and Christine Cook, who bred the horse then bought back into him after Yulong’s purchase.

The victory capped a good day for the Snowden family, after Peter’s son and former training partner, Paul, had his first win since going out on his own when Lunaite powered to a four-length victory at Newcastle.

GROUP 1 ON RADAR FOR AERODROME

Randwick trainer Michael Freedman was looking to the Queensland winter carnival with Aerodrome after he continued his stable’s stellar season with two-year-olds on Saturday at Hawkesbury.

A $2.10 favourite in the 2YO Clarendon Stakes (1400m) after winning his debut at Warwick Farm over 1200m, Aerodrome raced outside David Payne-trained Hereward before wearing it down late to win by three quarters of a length for Freedman, who won the Golden Slipper with Marhoona.

The group 1 JJ Atkins over 1600m at Eagle Farm on June 14 was now a target for Aerodrome. Jockey Regan Bayliss said the Ole Kirk gelding would have no trouble running out a strong mile. Aerodrome was into an equal $6 favourite with Sportsbet for the JJ Atkins.

The May 31 group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m), also a $1 million race at Eagle Farm, was another likely goal.

NOCK RIDES INTO THE LEAD

Braith Nock powered to the lead of the Sydney apprentices’ premiership with an early double at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

The Scone-based former professional bull rider went to 23 city wins for the season, one ahead of Molly Bourke, with victories on Jason Deamer-trained Jumeirah Beach ($6) in the Midway Handicap and Matt Dale-prepared favourite Canadian Ruler ($4.40) in the Highway Handicap.

Nock saved ground on both horses, finding a late split on Jumeirah Beach to score a narrow win before coming down the inside to hit the front on Canadian Ruler at the 200m on the way to a half-length success.

Braith Nock leads the Sydney apprentices’ premiership.Credit: Cavanough Racing

“It’s good,” Nock said of leading the apprentices’ race. “I think most of my rides today are right up there.”

Nock picked up a two-meeting suspension from his ride on Jumeirah Beach.

Former title leader Zac Wadick later went to 20 wins with victory on John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Jamberoo, which survived a late surge from Nash Rawiller-ridden Quantum Cat then a protest from the runner-up.