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Highlights and news from Rosehill on Saturday.
Widdup mare Travelling nicely
Brad Widdup considered retiring Travelling Kate more than once, but he was glad he persevered when she added Saturday's Acy Securities Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill to her last-start midweek win.
The former New Zealander, who is raced by high profile owner Max Whitby, had little luck in her early starts for Widdup to the point where the trainer thought she might be better off in the broodmare barn.
"I'm glad we persevered. A few times I said to Max, 'it might be time to go to stud'," Widdup said.
"But she's going terrific. We might have to keep her for another twelve months now.
"You go back through her form basically the whole time I've had her, she has been beaten small margins, held up in races, she hasn't had a lot of luck but she has always raced well.
"Sometimes you think, is it the horse? It's great to see her win and for Max, he's been a great supporter from day one."
Ridden by Tyler Schiller, Travelling Kate ($5.50) scooted up along the inside of $2.05 favourite Wineglass Bay and outpointed him on the line to score by a head.
Widdup hasn't ruled out giving her a shot at a stakes race like the Wyong Cup.
Sherry fined for vaping
Jockey Tom Sherry had a rough afternoon at the office, finding himself on the wrong side of Racing NSW stewards over two separate issues.
Sherry was fined $400 for failing to comply with a stewards' order by vaping in the jockeys' room, the second hoop this week to be penalised under the rule after Lee Magorrian was found guilty of the same offence at Newcastle on Thursday.
"It's not fair on your fellow riders who don't vape," chief steward Steve Railton told Sherry.
Railton was also disappointed with Sherry's decision-making on the track, finding fault with his effort aboard third placegetter Satness in the Midway Handicap (1500m).
Railton told the young jockey that he was too focused on getting to the outside of heels in the straight, missing an obvious gap that presented between the two leaders.
"You were obviously pre-occupied with getting to the outside, but the run was glaring," Railton told Sherry.
"Your riding in that part of the race falls short of what we'd expect."
Railton said stewards were "satisfied nothing was untoward" but told Sherry he needed to lift his game.
Peg could head to Big Dance
A patient approach is paying off for connections of Powerful Peg, who has continued her rise through the grades with a Saturday metropolitan win in the Exceedance @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1400m).
The mare has now won six of her 13 starts, prompting trainer Kris Lees to consider raising the bar further.
"We built her confidence by winning a few in the country before exposing her to city races. She continues to make that improvement," Lees said.
"It was a really good win today.
"At some stage we have to start thinking about black type for her, that will come in due course, but we will continue to try and place her right as there is such good prizemoney on offer."
Lees will consider a number of paths for Powerful Peg, including attempting to qualify her for the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day, or a Brisbane campaign.
"We could look at some country Cups and try to get her into The Big Dance," he said.
"There are a couple of black-type races in Queensland we could consider, too."
Powerful Peg ($7) downed Call Di ($3.60 fav) by three-quarters of a length with Anagain ($8.50) third.
Collett finds the right Lane
A trip back to the barrier trials proved the right formula for Chorlton Lane, who made it two wins from three Australian starts at Rosehill on Saturday.
Showing a brilliant turn of foot at his local debut, the former UK galloper raced flat when finishing out of the placings at his second appearance, prompting trainer Ciaron Maher to try a different approach.
"Last time he was just a fraction off, he never really looked like he was going to be a threat," Maher said.
"So we just took him back to the trials to give him a bit of confidence.
"He was quite impressive there under not a lot of riding.
"He's still learning his craft. You saw coming up the straight he wobbled around a fraction, but I think he's got a bit of quality."
Settling back in the field, Jason Collett picked a path between runners in the straight and Chorlton Lane ($3.40) surged through the centre to score by three-quarters of a length over Green Shadows ($12) with Danish Prince ($20) another half-neck away.
Collett has been aboard Chorlton Lane in all three starts and felt the horse was back to his best.
"He was explosive and it was good to see," Collett said.
Queenslander Freedom Rally started a well-backed $1.90 favourite but could finish only fifth, beaten just over three lengths.
Quote of the day: ""Jase - no-one is cooler, calmer and more collected and it was a cool ride again today." – co-trainer Ciaron Maher singing the praises of Jason Collet following his winning ride aboard Chorlton Lane.
