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Wagga preview: Racing legends chasing Riverina double with equine siblings

Wagga preview: Racing legends chasing Riverina double with equine siblings

News.com.au06-07-2025
CHAMPION jockey, now Riverina based trainer, Danny Beasley can present Hall of Fame legend Neville Begg with two wins inside the space of 45 minutes at Wagga on Monday.
Granted, Begg and Beasley have won bigger races than today's back-to-back Wagga Maidens on offer but a win to either horse would be special for both.
More so perhaps for Begg who bred the pair, namely the unraced Serenading and her year-older sibling Donegal Bay.
The Begg-Beasley duo are the second and third foals respectively out of Fastnet Rock mare Rock And Rose whose sole win came at Sale, over 1717m, in January 2017.
Donegal Bay, a son of Star Witness, is the mare's only foal to race prior to today; with an overall record of four placings from seven starts.
The most recent two of those have been for Beasley, and both at Albury.
His barnstorming Beasley-debut (second) was enough to see him sent out a prohibitive $1.40 favourite in another Bordertown maiden, and while costly for his backers, he lost no love so far as Beasley is concerned.
'He had no luck the other day,'' Beasley said.
'There was one that nearly fell in front of him and barrier one was always going to be not ideal for him because he gets back.
'He's a big horse and he needs a bit of room when he is galloping. It was pretty much a forgive run.
'I'd just love to win a race with the horse and then give him a break because I think he has got a lot more ability than what his record is showing.'
Two-year-old Serenading is even more of a Begg-bred than her big brother.
Not only does Begg own her mother, he bred and raced her father, namely Blue Diamond winner and emerging young sire, Written By.
Serenading hasn't been sighted in public view since her low-key yet pleasing trial at home on Australia Day.
'She wasn't out there to do too much, it was an education, and I had Brodie Loy on her and I thought he did a wonderful job on her,'' Beasley explained.
'He gave her a beautiful trial and she learnt a lot from it.
'She is a really big filly that wasn't ready so we put her out and gave her a break and she's come back and done everything right so far.
'The 1000m will be okay on the Heavy ground because she probably wants it a little bit further.'
And while Serenading is, on face value, bred for speed, she does possess more than her share of classic blood.
Begg and Beasley would clearly love Serenading to live up to the deeds of her close family member, Serenade Rose.
Trained by Lee Freedman, Serenade Rose was the dominant classic filly of her era.
Beasley can testify to that; he was on fillies far behind Serenade at the finish of both the VRC Oaks and AJC Oaks.
'She was a great filly,'' Beasley recalled.
'Actually Mr Begg spoke in depth about the pedigree of these two horses and although Donegal Bay has a few little issues that would restrict him from getting out in trip, the big filly Serenading, she does give you every indication she will get out over more ground as she gets older.
'So Mr Begg has said to me, don't be afraid to nominate her for a few of those staying fillies race because you never know what happens.'
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