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By John Curtis

Brad Widdup, back home after an American trip to the Keeneland yearling sales, is looking to Tenbury Wells ($2.90 favourite on TAB) to stamp himself as Gloaming Stakes material.

The lightly-raced Fastnet Rock colt, having shed his maiden status over 1600m in impressive style at Kembla Grange on September 14, steps up in both class and distance in the Patron Hacienda Incentive Benchmark 64 Handicap (1800m) at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

Tyler Schiller has been aboard Tenbury Wells in three barrier trials and rides the three-year-old for the first time in a race.

Tenbury Wells (Alysha Collett) in winning form at Kembla Grange. Image by Bradley Photographers

“Tenbury Wells is a horse we have always liked,” leading Hawkesbury trainer Widdup said this morning.

“I was away when he broke through at Kembla Grange and it was good to see him do so in the manner he did.

“He has trained on well and provided he performs as well as I expect at Hawkesbury, he will go to the Gloaming Stakes next.”

The $500,000 Group 3-Gloaming (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens on October 12 is a forerunner to the $2m Group 1-Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick a fortnight later.

A $250,000 yearling purchase at the Gold Coast last year for John Cordina’s Summertime Thoroughbreds and Steve Lester’s Daleigh Park Livestock, Tenbury Wells has raced only seven times.

Widdup, who numbers 47 wins at his home track amongst a career 372 to date, has had a terrific start to the season, snaring 15 races.

A dozen of them have established him as the provincial premiership pacesetter, and he has a number of runners at his home meeting, seeking to add to the tally.

Widdup also has both Jump In The Line ($13) and Frosty Jo ($8.50) in the Suntory-196 Mixed 10PK Provincial Maiden Handicap (1300m), The Act ($7.50) in the Brookvale Union Dark 6% Super Maiden Plate (1000m) and Be Real ($7) in the Wynns Coonawarra Cup Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m).

Stable apprentice Zac Wadick rides Jump In The Line and Be Real, and Jason Collett has the mount on The Act.

“Jump In The Line will definitely run, and is slowly getting there,” Widdup said. “I will wait until the morning before making a decision on a start for Frosty Jo, who has drawn poorly.

“Things just didn’t work out for The Act at his first start (when third as an odds-on favourite in an 1100m Provincial Maiden at Wyong on September 1) and he will race in a tongue tie tomorrow.

“He was to have run at Kembla Grange last Thursday, but the meeting was called off because of high winds after only two races were held. We’re up against a short-priced favorite at Hawkesbury but The Act is in good order.

“I was toying with the idea of resuming Be Real in a 1600m Benchmark 78 Handicap against her own sex at Warwick Farm today, but decided to wait for the Hawkesbury race.

“She gave away a big start when just beaten over 2000m at Randwick in June at her last run, and will take improvement from this first-up race. But she is certainly capable of running well.”

Widdup purchased six yearlings (five colts and a filly) at Keeneland for Jedibeel’s Sydney owner Mike Gregg’s Mulberry Racing at a cost of just over A$2m.

“Mike wanted to explore a new opportunity and the horses will be trained at Churchill Downs,” he said. “We’ll have a look at the end of their three-year-old seasons as to whether any come out here, but primarily they have been purchased to race in America.

“The Keeneland sales stretched over six books, with more than 2000 yearlings offered. We fitted plenty in during the trip, looking at training at Churchill Downs, visiting a number of the big studs at Kentucky and also the Godolphin Rehoming Centre.

“It was a tremendous experience, but also good to be back home.”

James McDonald goes to Hawkesbury for the first time this season, and has taken two mounts – one for Chris Waller and the other for Ciaron Maher.

He rides Waller’s Le Chocolat ($11) in the opener, the Great Northern Maiden Plate (1500m), and Maher’s Force Red ($1.90 fav) in the same race as Widdup’s The Act.

Le Chocolat is an each-way chance at the double figure odds while Force Red is all the rage at $1.90 at his first start since debuting 12 months ago when fifth in Espionage’s Group 3-Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick.

The Cosmic Force three-year-old has since changed stables and has trialled twice at Warwick Farm in preparation for his resumption. McDonald rode him in his latest 787m trial on September 13 when he settled third on the fence, and wasn’t extended over the closing stages when a close second to Sound Waves.

The rail is 2m out from the 1100m to the winning post, and in the TRUE position for the remainder of the track.

Course manager Kyle Cassim on Wednesday morning posted a Good 4 rating, with a penetrometer reading of 4.93. A total of 17mm of irrigation has been put on the course in the past seven days, but nothing in the last 24 hours.

The eight-race program begins at 1.15pm.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Hawkesbury here