STERN Idol is building an imperious record this season having won the Mosstrooper Steeple at Hamilton on Saturday by eight lengths to complete three consecutive feature race chase wins.
Held up in this extended two-mile race, Stern Idol took up the running after a half-mile, from which he was untroubled as Steven Pateman just needed to steer the $1.07 favourite to a facile win.
The Irish-bred Raven’s Pass gelding will now progress to the Crisp Steeple at Sandown on August 3rd.
“To win his third Mosstrooper and in the fashion he did, it was like a track gallop really, without being disrespectful to his competitors,” said Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull.
“It sets him up really well to go to the Crisp and hopefully he can continue on his winning ways.” It remains to be seen though if Stern Idol will push onto the Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat on August 24th.
He contested the race in 2023 and 2024 on soft tracks carrying 71kg and 73 kgs respectively as top-weight and failed to finish the near three-mile course on both occasions.
SHANE Jackson and Jordan Hart combined with Highland Blaze to win the Brendan Drechsler Hurdle over 3,400 metres (2m 1f) at Hamilton on Saturday. The pair defeated Jackson’s other runner Loft to give the stable the quinella in the A$75,000 feature hurdle. The feature race win also completed a double for Jackson who earlier on the card won the Restricted Hurdle with Bignight Rebel, ridden by Tom Ryan. Shane Jackson’s stable is in good form of late with wins in three of their past six jumbos starters.
“A huge day for the stable with Bignight Rebel bringing up our first winner in our own colours (green with white sleeves and white epaulettes, and a green and white striped cap) – a special moment made even better with his wonderful group of owners on course to celebrate! A perfectly judged ride from Tom Ryan sealed the deal,” said a post on Jackson’s Facebook page.
“The day was made even more special with Highland Blaze taking out his first feature jumps win (and ours) in the prestigious Brendan Dreschler Hurdle. Brendan was a fantastic contributor to jumps racing and the sport as a whole.
“A superb ride from Jordan Hart who does so much work for the stable and when given a chance he has delivered in style. Loft lost nothing in defeat, finishing a gallant second on a track heavier than he would have liked – his day will come again soon!”
AS the racing season draws to close, and a mere three weeks since he rode his first Group 1 winner aboard Tashi at Eagle Farm, Tom Sherry had a day out at Randwick, landing a treble on Saturday.
With eight rides on the 10-race card Sherry’s first win came in the fifth of the day aboard the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Yoshinobu, whom OTI Racing had recently purchased via Inglis Digital.
“I think he’s a quality horse,” said Sherry. “He began nicely and there was a good bit of speed early so we got him into a rhythm, travelled beautifully throughout. He picked up quite sharply, the runs opened up and he was tough late.”
Treble up
Sherry landed his second win shortly afterwards on trainer Richard Litt’s home-bred, Romeo’s Choice before completing his treble on the favourite in the last, always a great way to endear yourself to the punters at the end of a long day.
Riding the Peter Snowden-trained King Of Roseau in the last, the win brought up Sherry’s 50th of the season, the fourth time the 2020-’21 metropolitan champion apprentice has completed the milestone. His 23 wins so far on Sydney’s metropolitan tracks has the 26-year-old 16th in the premiership.
Sherry’s mark is similar to Johnny Allen’s in Melbourne. Having rode an early double at Flemington on Saturday for Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, and Ballarat trainer Henry Dwyer, Allen is now on 24 metropolitan wins which has him 13th in the metropolitan premiership.
His country tally is much greater though, his 69 winners has him sixth on that table.