Search

show me:

Avdulla Dominates With Four Wins At Wyong

3 minute read

Sydney’s premier jockey Brenton Avdulla continued his dominance of the NSW provincial circuit with a brilliant performance to land four winners at Wyong on Thursday.

Avdulla booted home two winners for the James Cummings stable while also enjoying success for the John O’Shea and Gerald Ryan stables.

Avdulla’s fourth winner of the day came aboard the James Cummings trained Watchdog in the One Stella Sunday October 21 BM 64 Handicap over 1350m.

The inform hoop took the son of Helmet straight to the front in the slowly run race and that is where he stayed, kicking clear around the corner to record a one and half-length win from Neruda ($4), with Salerno ($31) back in third place.

Brenton Avdulla
Brenton Avdulla Picture: Racing and Sports

The four-year-old gelding was very green around the home turn but Avdulla was able to straighten the horse before unleashing a strong turn of foot to hit the line.

Avdulla last season rode the most provincial winners in NSW and also won the Wyong jockey premiership to go with his first Sydney metropolitan title.

He made a late start this season after returning from a month-long riding contract in Japan and is currently sitting on nine provincial winners, 10 behind Tye Angland.

Avdulla kicked off the day with a win for the powerful Godolphin stable with their three-year-old filly Segalas comfortably taking care of her rivals in the Maiden Plate over 1350m.

Avdulla took bad luck out of the equation when taking the $1.85 favourite to the front of the field in the early stages and controlled the tempo.

The daughter of Poet’s Voice and the gallant second placegetter Ladies Gem kicked clear from the rest of the field rounding the home turn, with Segalas proving too strong late to win by a length with a five-length gap to the rest of the field.

Godolphin representative Shaun Kehoe was thrilled with the victory and believes the win will benefit the filly greatly.

“She still has a little way to go as she was a bit green that last 250m, but when Brenton pulled the whip she straightened up and won really well,” Kehoe said.

“She has plenty of ability and first up she ran well but was very green.

“Brenton rode her super today to find the front and control the tempo and kicked away at the turn.”

Avdulla admitted all didn’t go to plan but was happy with the filly’s effort to draw clear and win well.

“She ran really well last start and today’s win was very good, so she has a nice future,” Avdulla said.

“I would have loved to follow something into the race, but they were just going too slow, so I had no other option than to lead.

“Once she found the fence she was comfortable, and she really just toyed with them in the straight.”

Trainer Gerald Ryan may have unveiled a smart horse with Coterie enduring a tough run to outclass his rivals to record a strong win in the Go Electrical Tuggerah CG&E Maiden Handicap over 1200m.

Coterie, who was sent out the $1.40 punters elect, was slow away from his wide barrier and trapped without cover for most of the race before kicking clear of his rivals in the straight.

Ryan concedes he was nervous rounding the turn, but his fears were soon put the rest after the son of Your Song accelerated under Avdulla to pull away for a soft one length win from Taj ($13) in second.

“He didn’t jump as well as I thought he would, so he was left in no man’s land early on and rounding the turn he was wide, and I was worried about him running on as he was first up on the soft track,” Ryan said.

“He had to make a fairly long sustained run and to his credit he fought on really well to get the job done.”

Avdulla was rapped with the effort of Coterie.

“He didn’t begin well so I elected to take a sit back in the field and when they slowed up I was able to put him into the race,” he said.

“He wasn’t entirely comfortable in the ground, but he was able to stamp his authority.

“I’ve had a bit to do with him early on and I’ve always liked him but he’s also nowhere near his full potential at the moment.”

Another pearler of ride from Brenton Avdulla gave the Sydney jockey his third win of the day and also the John O’Shea trained Lucky Helmet ($4.40) her second win in just three starts in the De Bortelli Wines Class 2 over 1600m.

Avdulla positioned the daughter of Helmet back in the field and the filly weaved through horses to fight out a tough 0.1 length win over Noble Truth ($26), with Godunov ($4.80) back in third.

O’Shea believes the filly has a promising future as she progresses through the staying ranks.

“I think she’s going to be a nice staying filly when you hold her up and let her settle, which is tricky to do around Wyong, so she’s won well,” he said.

“Brenton rode her beautifully and we have always thought quite highly of her when she will get over a bit of distance.

“She’s a very consistent filly and every time we take her to the races she produces a good result.”

A decision to stick to the inside section of the track proved a masterstroke by Tye Angland in partnering Southern Lad ($4.80) to victory giving John O’Shea a winning double for the day in the Wyong Magic Millions December 12 Class 2 Handicap.

The son of Ocean Park, who was first up off a nine-month spell, settled last in the strung-out field before Angland produced a rail hugging ride to just get over the top of Ednablue ($4.40) late to win by three quarter of a length.

O’Shea admitted it was always going to be a tough task to win from back in the field and was pleasantly surprised with the ride.

“It was a bit surprising. I thought we would be back last and have to come around them, but they all rolled off the fence and that’s why you put the good jockeys on, as Tye rode him brilliantly,” he said.

“He had a slight injury after his last start, so we decided to give him some time off to strengthen up and he will take plenty of improvement from that run.”

A textbook front running ride from Adam Hyeronimus got the Waterhouse/Bott trained Ulusuba over the line in the Australian Bloodstock 3YO Maiden Plate over 1600m.

Hyeronimus was able to position the son of Exceed and Excel at the front of the field and from that point just controlled the tempo to give no other runner a chance.

Ulusuba ($3.20) rounded the turn locked in a battle with the $1.95 Jarhead but the race was all but over when the short-priced favourite hung out badly at the home turn to give Ulusuba a comfortable three length win, with Costa Sou ($13) in second place.

Stable representative Neil Paine was full of praise for Hyeronimus’ front running ride.

“He is riding in great form Adam and he rode that horse an absolute treat,” he said.

“This horse looks like he will get much better the further he races over, and this win will be a great confidence booster for him.”

The David Pfieffer trainer Prahaar has finally put it all together to reward her patient owners with a strong victory in the Wyong Christmas @ the Races Nov 29 & Dec 19 F&M Maiden Handicap over 1200m.

The talented daughter of Smart Missile ended a frustrating run of outs for the owners, who stuck with the temperamental mare and now look to be reaping the rewards.

Prahaar ($4.40) settled outside Admissible ($2.70) in the lead and rounding the home turn looked comfortable, before grinding away a tough one length win from Everlasting Love ($3.90) back in second place.

Jockey Tommy Berry was pleased with the victory, while admitting the mare still has plenty of work to do.

“She has always had a lot of ability, but she’s had these issues along the way which have held her back,” he said.

“Although today was a nice win she is still a thinker and there’s still some work to do to get her to her best.

“The win today will give her plenty of confidence and hopefully she can go on with it from here.”

The Kerry Parker trained Heartlet ($13) gave more fancied runners windburn in the straight as he motored past them to record a strong four length win in the Carlton & United Breweries Class 1 & Maiden Plate over 2100m.

The son of Duke of Marmalade was positioned perfectly by jockey Jay Ford towards the rear of the field, as a fast pace was being set up front.

Rounding the home turn Ford took a run and Heartlet responded immediately, running past the two favourites, Fast Train ($1.60) and Fidele’s Choice ($5) like they were standing still.

“He’s come back a lot more professional and consistent this time,” he said.

“He has always had decent staying ability but hasn’t been able to put it together, so it was good to see him win like that today.

“We enjoyed a strong early tempo and I thought we would be closer than we were, but the speed was to strong.

“I decided to ride him for luck and we got the splits at the right time to but in a good dominant win.”
Racing and Sports

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au