Warwick Farm preview: Handy mare Hellbent on maintaining hot form

Daily Telegraph

06-05-2025

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Trainer John Thompson has plenty of admiration for consistent mare Hellbent On You and expects her to make her presence felt again when she returns to Warwick Farm.
The four-year-old mare kicked off her campaign with a strong closing win from Formal at Hawkesbury before returning to metropolitan company with a neck third behind Seascape on the Kensington.
Hellbent On You then finished a nose second behind progressive filly Candlewick over 1200m at Warwick Farm on April 16.
'I have been very pleased with her runs this campaign. She is a very reliable mare,' said Thompson.
'As rule, when mares are in form they tend to hold it and she seems to be in good order since her last run.'
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The daughter of Hellbent has drawn barrier 7 in the TAB Handicap (1300m) with top apprentice Braith Nock to continue his association with her.
'Barrier doesn't really matter to her. She is pretty tractable,' he said.
'If she draws wide, she can get back or if she draws well, she can sit closer. Having that versatility helps with her consistency.
'It's a straight run to the corner at Warwick Farm so you can be three-deep.
'Braith is a ripper. He is very good jockey.
'He is getting better all the time because he us having success and he will keep riding winners.
'I'd say he's the leading apprentice this year.'
Thompson expects stablemate Clear Proof to bounce back to form in the Traffic Warden @ Darley Handicap (1300m).
The son of Justify caused a boilover on debut when he won at $101 on the Kensington last July and followed up with a second to Gatsby's in the Listed Rosebud at Rosehill.
He finished own the track at his next two starts before a spell and a lingering issue has impacted his two runs this time in but Thompson feels he is over that now.
'He needed gelding. His first couple of runs were good but he was very colty,' he said
'We persisted a little bit because he showed ability but in the end, Chad Schofield and Craig Williams both said, he needs gelding.
'Unfortunately, this time in, he pulled a front plate off in his second trial and trod on the toe clip.
'I thought he was right at Warwick Farm last start. He was sound when he trotted up but under pressure in the race, Nash (Rawiller) said he was still feeling it a bit.
'He wasn't lame or sore but just wasn't giving a hundred per cent.
'He's had another couple of weeks of foot growth and he is right now. I would expect a big improvement from him.
Thompson's has two two-year-olds entered for the meeting but is likely to scratch Vingt Neuf Noir from the fillies edition, the Schweppes Plate (1000m) after she drew barrier 13.
'I will probably save her until next week and go to Scone for the Inglis Challenge,' he said.
'She is a really nice filly and one for the black book.
'She has been trialling nicely and will run well when she races but will improve with the more racing she does.'
He will saddle up Ellismayne who makes his debut in the colts and geldings division, the Vinnie Three-Time Champion Sire Plate (1000m).
'He's a nice horse. The 1000m might be a bit short for him but he is a horse to follow,' he said
'He always showed that had something but he just needed gelding. 'This is his first preparation as a gelding and you can see the difference in his attitude. He is more professional.'
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Having progressed through his country grades in good style, trainer Donna Scott is hoping her talented gelding Villasaurus can take the next step and measure up in town.
The lightly-raced four-year-old was a TAB Highway winner at Rosehill last November but faces a stronger opposition when he steps out in the Drinkwise Mile Benchmark 72 (1600m).
Villasaurus was impressive winning a Class 3 Handicap at his home track of Albury three weeks ago to earn himself a trip to Sydney.
After settling behind the leader, he got a run between horses on straightening and was eased down to score by over a length from Exceedingly Hot.
'We knew if he won it meant he was no longer eligible for Highways but it would give us a mark on where he is at, said Scott.
'He won well and with his rating in the country, we are limited as to what races he can run in.
'Now we will look to set the bar a bit higher and test him hence why he is in a Benchmark 72 in town.
'Obviously, you don't get the Chris Waller horses in Highways where he has five runners in this race.
'We will get another guide on where we are at with him.'
The son of Villermont hasn't had much luck go his way this preparation and has been restricted to just two starts since first trialling at Benalla on February 17.
He was trapped three-wide without cover when resuming in the SDRA Country Championships Qualifier at Wagga on March 1 where he went down by a length when third to Canny Hell.
He was then seven weeks to his next run at Albury after missing the Country Championships Wildcard at Goulburn on March 23.
'Fitness probably just told on him in the end being first-up in the Qualifier,' said Scott.
'If I knew was going to draw the outside barrier, I probably would have given him another barrier trial leading into it.
'I thought we were a chance in the Wildcard but the truck broke down halfway to Goulburn and we missed the race.
'He has had a bit of a muck around preparation but hopefully all the bad luck is behind us now.'
Villasaurus opened at $11 with TAB Fixed Odds behind the Bjorn Baker-trained Dame Commander who was $2.30 out to $2.60 with Chris Waller's Misterkipchoge backed from $4.40 into $3.30.