Hawkesbury preview: Trainer Brad Widdup shows off ‘Galaxy’ of stars at home

Brad Widdup will be chasing a win in the time-honoured Galaxy on Saturday but his immediate focus will be on his home town meeting at Hawkesbury on Tuesday.

Hawkesbury-based trainer Brad Widdup has a host of chances at his home track on Tuesday. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

Brad Widdup qualified one for the upcoming Provincial Championships Final last Saturday at Wyong when the still-unbeaten Money Team cashed in four a fourth straight time since his change of address.

The Hawkesbury-based trainer could very well up the ante this Saturday with giant killer Jedibeel chasing a Group 1 win in The Galaxy and throw his hat in the ring for a potential The Everest slot later in the year.

Widdup can keep his tally (now in excess of 400) ticking over when he fronts up at home with a typically ‘well placed’ quartet engaged.

Two of them wear the colours of esteemed racing and breeding figure John Cordina whose imprint is writ-large on the Widdup pairing Rock All Night and Devil Rider.

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Rock All Night was one of just six foals to arrive in the 2021 season fathered by Cordina’s 2013 Dulcify Stakes winner, Rock Hero.

Cordina also raced Rock All Night’s dam, Monaco Doll, who won up to 2300m.

Rock All Night’s overt stamina should serve her well when she steps out over 1800m on Tuesday after her willing debut third at Wyong over 1625m last month.

“It will be interesting to see where she gets to but it does seem like she will get to a mile-and-a-half on her ear,’’ Widdup said.

“It was a really pleasing run (at Wyong) and hopefully she can come on from that.

“I’d like to think she is going to run out a strong 1800m, put it that way.’’

Cordina and Widdup combine for a second time on Tuesday when another of the home-breds, Devil Rider, aims up for what would be his third win in his past four starts.

Granted, those wins were at Muswellbrook and Orange respectively, but Widdup has found the right time and place for the son of Ace High to add a provincial win to his expanding CV.

“He is doing a good job,’’ the trainer said.

“I still think he is a long way off being a proper racehorse but he is doing nothing wrong so we’ll just keep ticking him over and see where he gets too but he’s definitely going the right way.

“Hopefully he can run well (today).’’

Widdup has shown a deep understanding of the progeny of Cordina’s former racetrack star and now emerging sire, Ace High, who stands at Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand.

“Obviously John Cordina raced him and I’ve got a few of them and they’ve been terrific really,’’ Widdup says. “I like him as a stallion. I think he is doing a good job and his progeny are only going to get better.

“I would imagine he would be starting to get a few betters mares over there now.’’

Wow! @BWiddupRacing reached a milestone 400 career wins! 🎉 Sunset Park & @AlyshaCollett taking out Race 8 Clarendon Tavern Provincial BM 64 Handicap (2000m). This is also Brad's 43rd win this season, congratulations!
Images @Bradley_Photos@provracingnsw@racing_nswpic.twitter.com/k8WC4qseWZ

— Hawkesbury Race Club (@hawkesburyrc) February 20, 2025

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Widdup meanwhile has done everything he can do to help Manhattan’s deliver a well-earned but still well overdue win when she jumps out from a favourable draw in a suitable race.

“She is a beautiful mare,’’ Widdup says. “But she finds it hard to win because she’s just in that Benchmark area where she is struggling a little bit to get a win on the board.

“That said, she keeps running into handy horses.’’

The respective winners of Manhattan’s last three races were Dark Glitter who was runner-up in the Millie Fox immediately after, Mahogany Girl who won the Provincial/Midway Heat at Hawkesbury at her next start and Brigidine Gal who was third in last Friday’s Kembla Classic.

Widdup’s first runner on the day is Dodgy Freckle who sent out some good signs first-up at Bathurst 15-days ago.

“She still has to improve a little bit and needs a bit of racing yet to be in the winner’s circle but it is a race on her home track,’’ Widdup said.

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WARWICK Farm-housed mare Gendarmerie takes on a respectable bunch of fillies and mares in the last at Hawkesbury on Tuesday but they are bordering on ‘easybeats’ compared to what she usually races.

The Lee and Cherie Curtis-trained mare’s 27 start career is bookended by stoushes with subsequent stakes-winners.

Gendarmerie beat all bar one of her 13 rivals at Rosehill on debut back in November 2021.

That filly was Lady Laguna.

Lady Laguna makes it a perfect 2/2 start to her career for @ANeashamRacing! 🏇 pic.twitter.com/JUYzWJWU7k

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 27, 2021

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Fast forward to Valentine’s Day this year and Gendarmerie was an honourable third to Little Baia in a Benchmark 72 at Canterbury.

The winner franked the form by taking out the Group 3 ATC Aspiration Stakes (1600m) at Randwick 10-days ago.

“She is very consistent and she deserves another win,’’ Cherie Curtis said.

“She is a bit of a quirky horse. She’s very much an Epaulette. We’ve had quite a lot of Epaulettes and they’re thinkers.

“Gendarmerie has her style. What’s best for her is if she doesn’t have a whole lot of speed in the race because she likes to go forward and we just find that she goes better in that leading position.

“She’s got Molly (Bourke) on and Molly rates them very well in front.”

Gendarmerie races in the familiar colours of Francis and Christine Cook who will be eagerly awaiting the outcome of the Billsons Vodka 3YO Maiden Handicap (1300m) on Tuesday.

The race marks the debut of their well-bred three-year-old filly Magenta Shores.

Born and raised at Arrowfield Stud, Magenta Shores is a daughter of The Autumn Sun out of a half-sister to Testa Matta who won a Group 1 in Japan.

“Her trials have been pretty good,’’ Curtis says. “She’ll learn a lot from the experience.

“Jeff (Penza) rides her a lot of work, he knows her well, he’ll look after her.

“You never know what is going to emerge but looking at trial form and all the rest of it, I don’t think there are any superstars in Tuesday’s race.

“First start in a race, they can do things do wrong and all that sort of stuff.

“I don’t know if she will win, but I expect her to race well.’’

The Cooks’ and Curtis’ biggest win (so far) was in the 2016 VRC Oaks via the 100/1 shot Lasqueti Spirit.

The foursome is hopeful that her Dundeel daughter, Laspirit Deeler, makes the cut for the Manion Cup on Saturday's Golden Slipper undercard at Rosehill Gardens.

Originally published as Hawkesbury preview: Trainer Brad Widdup shows off ‘Galaxy’ of stars at home