What’s in a name? Plenty, especially if you ask young Hawkesbury trainer Mitch Kearney, who came up with a novel idea for “family horse” Eerised, whom he considers will be hard to beat on his home track tomorrow.
Kearney named the three-year-old after his wife Desiree (spelled backwards), and is looking to him to clinch his second win in the Mektronics Australia Pty Ltd Benchmark 60 Handicap (2000m) before he goes for a spell.
He has booked Jean Van Overmeire for Eerised; the mature apprentice’s 3kg claim offsetting his 61kg co-topweight.
Eerised has bounced back from a last start sixth in the Provincial Stayers Benchmark 84 Handicap (2100m) at Hawkesbury’s feature standalone meeting on April 29, and drops sharply in class. Stewards reported Eerised was hampered by another runner that day at the 300m, became unbalanced and shifted out.
“He has come through that race well and I’m sure he will be hard to beat tomorrow as long as he can have a bit of luck from his draw (Eerised will start from 9 in a field of 10),” Kearney said. “But this will be his last run this campaign. He is going for a spell afterwards and hopefully we can win some nice races with him next time in.”
Eerised’s splendid fourth to Queensland Derby contender Mongolian Wolf in the Group 3 Packer Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 15 puts him strongly in contention – albeit his 58kg – in a weaker race tomorrow.
Van Overmeire is no stranger to success with the Kearney stable. He has had eight rides for him for three wins (including two from two on Final Trick).
There is an interesting background to the trainer’s naming of Eerised after his wife.
“We bred Eerised from our mare Fabulash, and Desiree rode his sire Widden Valley when he was broken in at Muskoka Farm,” Kearney explained.
“Widden Valley is a beautifully bred horse by Anabaa from 2001 AJC Oaks winner Rose Archway, and stands at stud in Victoria.”
Now 10 years of age, Widden Valley fetched $900,000 at the 2008 Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale at Newmarket, and raced only five times for Chris Waller before being retired. He won twice (both at Wyong) in 2010 and at his last start, with Jim Cassidy aboard, finished third to Star Of Octagonal in that year’s Scone Guineas, then run over 1600m.
Kearney, who has now built his stable to 11, acquiring a new owner Peter Knight (who has recently given him two horses), also runs Red Centre Ruby (Tye Angland) in the Sieders Truck Repairs Provincial & Country Maiden Plate (1300m). “Desiree and myself and her brother Will have leased Red Centre Ruby from former Alice Springs trainer Russell Bell (now based at Colac in Victoria),” he said.
“Russell stayed with us when his good sprinter Sirbible ran second in the Razor Sharp Quality at Randwick last December.”
Hawkesbury trainers dominate the Provincial & Country Maiden, having 10 of the 14 runners. Only Kembla Grange’s Robert and Luke Price (Celestial Choice and Miss Demi Monde), Newcastle’s Kris Lees (Atlantic Edge) and Orange’s Michael Plummer (Sovereign Default) are taking on the locals.
Aside from Red Centre Ruby, jockeys’ premiership front-runner Angland also has mounts on Miss American Cod (Nor-West Jets Maiden, 1300m), the promising King Viv (Prestige Racehorse Transport Class 2, 1300m), and Chavo (Beards Of Hope Class 2, 1600m).
Co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott (they won the Livamol Hawkesbury Gold Cup with Fabrizio at the stand alone meeting) lead the Hawkesbury premiership with 14 wins, and have only the one runner tomorrow.
They will rely on lightly-raced three-year-old Street Pursuit (Josh Parr), who will find the 1300m of the Nor-West Jets Maiden more suitable than when third over 1000m at Gosford on Anzac Day when having only his third start.
The rail is in the TRUE position for tomorrow’s meeting, and the track this morning was rated a “Good 4”, with a penetrometer reading of 4.85. No rain has been recorded in the past seven days, but 22mm of irrigation has been put on the track.
Selections RACE 1: MEMES, Wordly Impact, Cockles. RACE 2: SECRET PEDRILLE, Skilled Magic, Japhite. RACE 3: PLAYBOOK, Street Pursuit, Bint Snitzel. RACE 4: FANTASIZE, Smokey’s Joy, King Viv. RACE 5: CELESTIAL CHOICE, Lady Chalfont, Evolet. RACE 6: NACHO LIBRE, My Milly Moo, Chavo. RACE 7: EERISED, Lindwall, Letter To Juliette.
SPECIALS: MEMES, FANTASIZE, NACHO LIBRE.
View the fields and form (including race replays) for Hawkesbury's Tuesday meeting here.