Corowa, Port Macquarie previews: What can the Pons do with a Drunken Sailor?
Former reinsman James Ponsonby is set to harness another of his bargain buys into a profit making machine when New Zealand-bred blue blood Drunken Sailor heads to Corowa on Monday.
The four-year-old son of Ocean Park has banked $55,335 in the space of 11 starts for the Hawkesbury -based Ponsonby.
Should he win today's Balldale Hotel Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m), he will add another $13,950.
All this from an initial outlay of just $1,250 at the Inglis January 2024 Online Sale.
Drunken Sailor was purchased at Karaka at the NZB Yearling Sale in 2022 by TFI for the not insignificant sum of $220,000.
They were the same original owners from whom Ponsonby purchased his iron-horse Philipsburg for $20,000 after an Aquis spend of $110,000, also at Karaka.
'The Burg', as he is known to his owners, including 2GB Radio's top-rating broadcaster John Stanley and SKY Racing presenter Andrew 'Marto' Martin, has won ten races and earned $626,142 with the promise of more to come.
Drunken Sailor's Monday mission comes third-up into his present campaign and off a closing second at Queanbeyan on Mother's Day with Winona Costin in the saddle.
Exceedingly Hot dominates in the third at Queanbeyan! ðŸ'° @KeatingsCoriah @nickoliveracing pic.twitter.com/7GGnyBpAPl
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 11, 2025
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'He got held up from probably the 400m basically all the way round there to halfway up the straight,'' Ponsonby said.
'Winona said he hit the line really well.
'He's obviously drawn the carpark on Monday but he comes in probably, I'd say at this stage, to barrier 12 or 13.
'John (jockey John Kissick) has had good luck on the horse in the past and hopefully he can weave a bit if magic and get him into the right spot there on Monday
'The horse is getting to mature now and he is settling a lot better so hopefully as he gets up to 2000m in the end, he'll have the manners but still have the speed of a seven furlong/miler horse so that should benefit him later on his career.'
Drunken Sailor will have company on the 700km trek from Hawkesbury to Corowa in the shape of Statesville who lines-up in the Campbell's Wines Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1400m.
The Aquis Farm-bred son of Written Tycoon has been underwhelming in his four starts this campaign but against considerably stiffer opposition to what he meets on Monday.
'He is probably better suited in a 58 than he has been in any of the previous races, it has just taken a hell of a long time to get his Benchmark down,'' Ponsonby explained.
'They've kept him at a reasonably high country benchmark for it seems like forever.
'So hopefully ridden quietly, we can see a bit better performance but it's been a real shame because I really used to think he was going to make a handy horse but he just didn't progress as far as I would have liked.'
Ponsonby will be about as far away from Sydney as it gets to the start the week but he'll be back in town in more ways than one this weekend with the stable captain, the aforementioned Philipsburg.
'He is off to a 2400m at Randwick next Saturday and then depending on how he goes, he might have a little freshen up after that or he could head onto a Group 3 in Brisbane (Premier's Cup) the following weekend,'' Ponsonby said.
'The Burg' will be ridden on Saturday by Costin who has steered the son of Per Incanto to six of his 10 wins including those back-to-back wins at Doomben and Eagle Farm last month.
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Spring ambitions for Minervini's Gem
Exciting two-year-old Gemologist claimed the scalp of a million-dollar baby on debut and will on Monday be tasked with 'beating the older horses' when he travels to Port Macquarie.
The Mark Minervini -trained son of Caulfield Sprint and San Domenico Stakes winner Graff announced himself with a comfortable win in the coveted Star Kingdom held each year at Muswellbrook in May.
The 2025 edition attracted a stellar line-up including the Waterhouse/Bott -trained Jet who was knocked down for $1 million at the Gold Coast in 2024.
'Gemologist is a very nice horse and I think he beat a very nice horse,'' Minervini said. 'He's done well since that win.
'He is actually owned in Port Macquarie, the owners weren't at Muswellbrook the other week but they'll be there on Monday.
'I am not too sure if he will have too many more runs this prep. We might put him away and get him ready for the spring.
'He is a couple of months away from being a three-year-old but if he could go there and beat the older horses, I think it is a feather in his cap for sure.'
Gemologist gets away from them late and wins at Muswellbrook! ðŸ'Ž @Aaronbullock90 pic.twitter.com/yTGCBSsmak
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 2, 2025
Minervini meanwhile is fast closing on 500 wins; his first coming at Strathalbyn late in 1995.
The former master of Morphettville was pleased to welcome another former South Australian to his Newcastle stables in 2025, namely Bella Kathleen who is on her way to Port Macquarie on Monday.
A daughter of Melbourne Cup -winner Fiorente, Bella Kathleen broke her maiden status at Gawler on debut back in the winter of 2023.
Her next win came on April 12 this year at what was her first run for Minervini in a Newcastle Class 1.
Bella Kathleen was runner-up at her subsequent outing in the hotly-contested Godolphin Tiara.
'I wasn't disappointed in her run but I was disappointed she didn't win it at Muswellbrook but the mare that beat her, Gentileschi, got beaten in a photo on Saturday at Scone so the form there is pretty solid,'' Minervini says.
Minervini's Monday kicks off in the opener with the well-bred Pratt having his first run for the barn having previously been handled by Chris Waller.
'We have tried to place him to win,'' Minervini says.
'I am really happy with him. I think he is a horse that has got a fair bit of ability.'
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