Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer Brad Widdup says the benefits of the introduction of the $100,000 Midway Handicaps to Saturday metropolitan programs from this weekend’s Rosehill meeting can be seen in the differences between his two acceptors for the new race.

Trainer Brad Widdup

Switched is already a two-time city winner and has competed up to Listed level in her career so far while the race presents a ‘line in the sand’ for Bigger Than Thorn, an emergency, whose three wins have been at country and provincial level.

Widdup said the Midway races, for small to medium sized eligible provincial and metropolitan stables, are a perfect stepping stone for progressive horses and measuring stick for those who might be treading water.

“Horses you might think aren’t quite up to midweek level you might look at these races because you’re dodging the major stables,’’ Widdup said.

“I think it’s great, it gives us something to aim at. We all strive to have runners on Saturday metropolitan meetings and it gives us a chance to compete.

“By having these races maybe I can have more Saturday runners, that’s a chance to build your stable. If people see your name on a Saturday they take notice more than Monday to Friday racing.”

The barrier draw for the Midway Handicap (1100m) was crucial to Widdup backing up Switched from a second-up run at Rosehill last Saturday and she came up with gate seven.

Switched, with Ellen Hennessy’s 3kg claim bringing her in with 57.5kg, has been beaten less than three lengths in both her starts in Benchmark 78 races since a six week freshen up. She was placed behind TAB Everest runner Lost And Running at her first run this prep.

“She’s had an up and down preparation and I think she is close now to her peak,’’ he said.

“She won two in a row last time in and I gave her a good break and she might have been holding a bit of weight.

“Her two runs have been really good. She did a lot of work last Saturday to cross and they only got her the last 200m.”

If Bigger Than Thorn doesn’t gain a start Widdup will look for another Midway in the near future as he is keen to see where the gelding stands.

He carried 61kg when runner-up to No Impediment at Goulburn on June 7 and will drop 6kg should he line up.

“He’s a horse that I might as well have a crack with,’’ he said.

“He’s always carrying big weights in his grade and this is a chance to get some weight relief. It’s probably the line in the sand for him.

“If he’s not going to be competitive in these races he’s one of those horses that could be moved to a country trainer. It gives me a chance to see where he’s at and if he’s competitive we can aim at another one.”

Meanwhile, the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in October is the major spring aim for Widdup’s stable star Icebath who has just commenced pace work.

Switched runs fifth at Rosehill on June 26

The four-year-old confirmed herself as a high class performer this season, despite her only win being a Benchmark 78, with close seconds in the Golden Eagle and Doncaster Mile.

Widdup doesn't need to confirm a path to the Epsom just yet, given he has plenty of options, but his first goal is to tick off that black type win.

“Group 1s aren’t easy to come by and you’ve got to have a special horse, and she appears to be that way,’’ he said.

“To run second in a Doncaster you’ve got to be a pretty fair horse and in years to come people will be talking about the Golden Eagle as a special race.

“We’re looking at the Epsom as our first race to aim at, she’ll get in with a good weight again. We haven’t locked in how to get there yet but you’ve got races like the Tibbie, Mona Lisa, and Golden Pendant. I’d like to attack one of them first.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting