Rejuvenated Gibbons out to ice comeback with Winter Cup victory
'It's probably the best I've felt physically and mentally. When I was out I was pretty frustrated, but I look back now and I wouldn't change it. I think it got my mind in a good place and that seems to be showing in the results.'
Gibbons rides Changingoftheguard ($8.50 Sportsbet) for his former boss, Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, in the Saturday's Rosehill feature, the Winter Cup (2400m). The Lloyd Williams-owned import is first-up off a 1200m trial as he kicks off a second preparation in Australia.
Gibbons is yet to ride the six-year-old Galileo gelding, a group 2-winner over 2400m at Royal Ascot, but he was encouraged by the report from his dad, Andrew, who took Changingoftheguard to the Newcastle trial win.
'He was rapt with him,' he said. 'He said for a horse who was going first-up 2400, he was surprised how well he quickened. He said he felt terrific and he gave him a really strong hit-out.
'He knew before me that I was on him, and he gave me a good enough push that he was going as well as he can and was fit, so I'm looking forward to Saturday.
'It's not the normal thing you see in Australia, to be running first-up over 2400, but if he was still overseas, he'd be doing exactly that. I reckon you could easily see him running well, but over here, because you don't see it, you'd be a bit brave trusting it, but Kris would have him screwed down.'
Gibbons also rides Half Yours, a $3.90 favourite in the ninth, for Tony and Calvin McEvoy. The four-year-old was part of Gibbons' double on a heavy Rosehill track two weeks ago.
'I galloped him on Monday morning and even though he had a tough win, his work and how he was before and after it suggests he's taken no harm from that,' he said.
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'You are always a bit reserved when horses run so well, especially on wet tracks, whether they can back it up, but I'm glad I went and galloped him.'
He also partners with Lees in the fourth with Tasoraay, which was a $5 chance after a first-up win at Scone on May 16.
'I was desperate to ride him first up, but he kept drawing bad or there were wet tracks, so I missed out,' he said. 'Glad to be back on him because he was dominant first up, so hopefully he can back it up.'
He has Chris Waller-trained favourite Crusader Voyage ($3.80) in the first and was confident King Of Roseau ($11, seventh) and Stagnum ($9.50, fifth) would run well after riding them in trackwork or trials. His other rides are Miss Spacegirl ($12, race three), Bush Telegraph ($27, two) and Interjection ($13, six).
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The Advertiser
11 hours ago
- The Advertiser
A predatory industry is targeting our kids and the government is staying silent
The Victorian Coroner's hearing into the tragic suicide of 22-year-old Kyle Hudson is set to shine a spotlight on the activities of bookmaker Sportsbet. Kyle took his life shortly after losing two bets worth more than $6000. The hearing is set to probe the actions of SportsBet and also the banks from which Kyle drew out large sums of money for betting. The figures show sports betting is exploding among young men - growing at up to 40 per cent annually. And troublingly, figures show that up to 600,000 underage teenagers (12-17 years old) are gambling $18 million annually. Sports and Communications Minister, Anika Wells, when adding YouTube to the social media ban for under 16 year olds, said she was intent on protecting people not platforms. She is the minister now in charge of responding to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry recommendations to ban gambling ads and gambling incentives. But two years on from Murphy's recommendations, we still have no government response to Murphy's 31 recommendations or any reform to protect children being groomed by gambling ads. Recently, I spoke to a group of leaders aged 18-20 at a university in Melbourne. Gambling came up in my speech. After the event, a young man dressed in a suit told me that he had been at an ex-school friend's funeral that day. His friend took his life after losing all his savings in sports betting. They had started gambling at school and he said all his friends, all underage, were gambling. For boys not to be gambling and talking about their wins at school was so uncool - such is the capture of gambling and sport. And so, friendship for young men and being cool now revolved around gambling. At the same event, another student spoke to me about his wrestling with gambling. I asked this 20-year-old to explain why he had got into this. Again, he said all my school friends are gambling. You get an account TAB account by using an older sibling's ID - such as a driver's license or passport and then you are away. Then you deposit money in an account. Curiously, you're immediately trapped as you cannot withdraw the money without physically presenting at a TAB to withdraw it, which you never risk. If you do not bet for a day, then a $50 free bonus lands in your account, so you try a number of apps and get the bonuses, and soon you have lost all track of your real losses. These kids bet on everything and everywhere. Races, Lithuanian basketball, that they watch in the early hours of the morning. His friend lost $2000 betting on a Lithuanian basketball game. I said, "how do you watch Lithuanian basketball", and he said, "the betting companies drop the game on your tablet". So, it is a "gift" of the bookmakers and as you watch bonuses and incentives pop up. Gambling companies effectively own the game and anyone who has watched AFL or NRL would say it is the same of our sports. If you are losing, no one from the company checks. If you are winning, the sports betting trader has to manually check your winnings before paying out. If you are losing, you get bonus incentives. I am worried that the bookies who now effectively own the AFL and NRL will support the government's social media ban and say now we can advertise and continue our booming business - both ads and incentives. And it will be worse as age verification for under 16s will not be a license or passport but a much lower bar. Yes, we need to put people before platforms and that includes the AFL and NRL apps where every game has the odds every week and grooms our children. We cannot rely on bookmakers to reduce gambling harm. READ MORE: We should expect the sporting codes - including the AFL and the NRL - to do much more to reduce the promotion of advertising that now envelops the game. But given the fat profit these codes make on the backs of their supporters such action is unlikely. So, it turns to the federal government to act to protect our kids and also the scores of young men and women who are being remorselessly targeted by a predatory industry. Every day we delay is not only leading to incredible financial hardship, it is leading to social devastation. It is destroying lives. Gambling is not just a gaming issue, it is a public health crisis that is leading to extraordinary suffering and social harm. We can't wait any longer for a considered and significant response to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry by this government. The Victorian Coroner's hearing into the tragic suicide of 22-year-old Kyle Hudson is set to shine a spotlight on the activities of bookmaker Sportsbet. Kyle took his life shortly after losing two bets worth more than $6000. The hearing is set to probe the actions of SportsBet and also the banks from which Kyle drew out large sums of money for betting. The figures show sports betting is exploding among young men - growing at up to 40 per cent annually. And troublingly, figures show that up to 600,000 underage teenagers (12-17 years old) are gambling $18 million annually. Sports and Communications Minister, Anika Wells, when adding YouTube to the social media ban for under 16 year olds, said she was intent on protecting people not platforms. She is the minister now in charge of responding to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry recommendations to ban gambling ads and gambling incentives. But two years on from Murphy's recommendations, we still have no government response to Murphy's 31 recommendations or any reform to protect children being groomed by gambling ads. Recently, I spoke to a group of leaders aged 18-20 at a university in Melbourne. Gambling came up in my speech. After the event, a young man dressed in a suit told me that he had been at an ex-school friend's funeral that day. His friend took his life after losing all his savings in sports betting. They had started gambling at school and he said all his friends, all underage, were gambling. For boys not to be gambling and talking about their wins at school was so uncool - such is the capture of gambling and sport. And so, friendship for young men and being cool now revolved around gambling. At the same event, another student spoke to me about his wrestling with gambling. I asked this 20-year-old to explain why he had got into this. Again, he said all my school friends are gambling. You get an account TAB account by using an older sibling's ID - such as a driver's license or passport and then you are away. Then you deposit money in an account. Curiously, you're immediately trapped as you cannot withdraw the money without physically presenting at a TAB to withdraw it, which you never risk. If you do not bet for a day, then a $50 free bonus lands in your account, so you try a number of apps and get the bonuses, and soon you have lost all track of your real losses. These kids bet on everything and everywhere. Races, Lithuanian basketball, that they watch in the early hours of the morning. His friend lost $2000 betting on a Lithuanian basketball game. I said, "how do you watch Lithuanian basketball", and he said, "the betting companies drop the game on your tablet". So, it is a "gift" of the bookmakers and as you watch bonuses and incentives pop up. Gambling companies effectively own the game and anyone who has watched AFL or NRL would say it is the same of our sports. If you are losing, no one from the company checks. If you are winning, the sports betting trader has to manually check your winnings before paying out. If you are losing, you get bonus incentives. I am worried that the bookies who now effectively own the AFL and NRL will support the government's social media ban and say now we can advertise and continue our booming business - both ads and incentives. And it will be worse as age verification for under 16s will not be a license or passport but a much lower bar. Yes, we need to put people before platforms and that includes the AFL and NRL apps where every game has the odds every week and grooms our children. We cannot rely on bookmakers to reduce gambling harm. READ MORE: We should expect the sporting codes - including the AFL and the NRL - to do much more to reduce the promotion of advertising that now envelops the game. But given the fat profit these codes make on the backs of their supporters such action is unlikely. So, it turns to the federal government to act to protect our kids and also the scores of young men and women who are being remorselessly targeted by a predatory industry. Every day we delay is not only leading to incredible financial hardship, it is leading to social devastation. It is destroying lives. Gambling is not just a gaming issue, it is a public health crisis that is leading to extraordinary suffering and social harm. We can't wait any longer for a considered and significant response to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry by this government. The Victorian Coroner's hearing into the tragic suicide of 22-year-old Kyle Hudson is set to shine a spotlight on the activities of bookmaker Sportsbet. Kyle took his life shortly after losing two bets worth more than $6000. The hearing is set to probe the actions of SportsBet and also the banks from which Kyle drew out large sums of money for betting. The figures show sports betting is exploding among young men - growing at up to 40 per cent annually. And troublingly, figures show that up to 600,000 underage teenagers (12-17 years old) are gambling $18 million annually. Sports and Communications Minister, Anika Wells, when adding YouTube to the social media ban for under 16 year olds, said she was intent on protecting people not platforms. She is the minister now in charge of responding to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry recommendations to ban gambling ads and gambling incentives. But two years on from Murphy's recommendations, we still have no government response to Murphy's 31 recommendations or any reform to protect children being groomed by gambling ads. Recently, I spoke to a group of leaders aged 18-20 at a university in Melbourne. Gambling came up in my speech. After the event, a young man dressed in a suit told me that he had been at an ex-school friend's funeral that day. His friend took his life after losing all his savings in sports betting. They had started gambling at school and he said all his friends, all underage, were gambling. For boys not to be gambling and talking about their wins at school was so uncool - such is the capture of gambling and sport. And so, friendship for young men and being cool now revolved around gambling. At the same event, another student spoke to me about his wrestling with gambling. I asked this 20-year-old to explain why he had got into this. Again, he said all my school friends are gambling. You get an account TAB account by using an older sibling's ID - such as a driver's license or passport and then you are away. Then you deposit money in an account. Curiously, you're immediately trapped as you cannot withdraw the money without physically presenting at a TAB to withdraw it, which you never risk. If you do not bet for a day, then a $50 free bonus lands in your account, so you try a number of apps and get the bonuses, and soon you have lost all track of your real losses. These kids bet on everything and everywhere. Races, Lithuanian basketball, that they watch in the early hours of the morning. His friend lost $2000 betting on a Lithuanian basketball game. I said, "how do you watch Lithuanian basketball", and he said, "the betting companies drop the game on your tablet". So, it is a "gift" of the bookmakers and as you watch bonuses and incentives pop up. Gambling companies effectively own the game and anyone who has watched AFL or NRL would say it is the same of our sports. If you are losing, no one from the company checks. If you are winning, the sports betting trader has to manually check your winnings before paying out. If you are losing, you get bonus incentives. I am worried that the bookies who now effectively own the AFL and NRL will support the government's social media ban and say now we can advertise and continue our booming business - both ads and incentives. And it will be worse as age verification for under 16s will not be a license or passport but a much lower bar. Yes, we need to put people before platforms and that includes the AFL and NRL apps where every game has the odds every week and grooms our children. We cannot rely on bookmakers to reduce gambling harm. READ MORE: We should expect the sporting codes - including the AFL and the NRL - to do much more to reduce the promotion of advertising that now envelops the game. But given the fat profit these codes make on the backs of their supporters such action is unlikely. So, it turns to the federal government to act to protect our kids and also the scores of young men and women who are being remorselessly targeted by a predatory industry. Every day we delay is not only leading to incredible financial hardship, it is leading to social devastation. It is destroying lives. Gambling is not just a gaming issue, it is a public health crisis that is leading to extraordinary suffering and social harm. We can't wait any longer for a considered and significant response to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry by this government. The Victorian Coroner's hearing into the tragic suicide of 22-year-old Kyle Hudson is set to shine a spotlight on the activities of bookmaker Sportsbet. Kyle took his life shortly after losing two bets worth more than $6000. The hearing is set to probe the actions of SportsBet and also the banks from which Kyle drew out large sums of money for betting. The figures show sports betting is exploding among young men - growing at up to 40 per cent annually. And troublingly, figures show that up to 600,000 underage teenagers (12-17 years old) are gambling $18 million annually. Sports and Communications Minister, Anika Wells, when adding YouTube to the social media ban for under 16 year olds, said she was intent on protecting people not platforms. She is the minister now in charge of responding to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry recommendations to ban gambling ads and gambling incentives. But two years on from Murphy's recommendations, we still have no government response to Murphy's 31 recommendations or any reform to protect children being groomed by gambling ads. Recently, I spoke to a group of leaders aged 18-20 at a university in Melbourne. Gambling came up in my speech. After the event, a young man dressed in a suit told me that he had been at an ex-school friend's funeral that day. His friend took his life after losing all his savings in sports betting. They had started gambling at school and he said all his friends, all underage, were gambling. For boys not to be gambling and talking about their wins at school was so uncool - such is the capture of gambling and sport. And so, friendship for young men and being cool now revolved around gambling. At the same event, another student spoke to me about his wrestling with gambling. I asked this 20-year-old to explain why he had got into this. Again, he said all my school friends are gambling. You get an account TAB account by using an older sibling's ID - such as a driver's license or passport and then you are away. Then you deposit money in an account. Curiously, you're immediately trapped as you cannot withdraw the money without physically presenting at a TAB to withdraw it, which you never risk. If you do not bet for a day, then a $50 free bonus lands in your account, so you try a number of apps and get the bonuses, and soon you have lost all track of your real losses. These kids bet on everything and everywhere. Races, Lithuanian basketball, that they watch in the early hours of the morning. His friend lost $2000 betting on a Lithuanian basketball game. I said, "how do you watch Lithuanian basketball", and he said, "the betting companies drop the game on your tablet". So, it is a "gift" of the bookmakers and as you watch bonuses and incentives pop up. Gambling companies effectively own the game and anyone who has watched AFL or NRL would say it is the same of our sports. If you are losing, no one from the company checks. If you are winning, the sports betting trader has to manually check your winnings before paying out. If you are losing, you get bonus incentives. I am worried that the bookies who now effectively own the AFL and NRL will support the government's social media ban and say now we can advertise and continue our booming business - both ads and incentives. And it will be worse as age verification for under 16s will not be a license or passport but a much lower bar. Yes, we need to put people before platforms and that includes the AFL and NRL apps where every game has the odds every week and grooms our children. We cannot rely on bookmakers to reduce gambling harm. READ MORE: We should expect the sporting codes - including the AFL and the NRL - to do much more to reduce the promotion of advertising that now envelops the game. But given the fat profit these codes make on the backs of their supporters such action is unlikely. So, it turns to the federal government to act to protect our kids and also the scores of young men and women who are being remorselessly targeted by a predatory industry. Every day we delay is not only leading to incredible financial hardship, it is leading to social devastation. It is destroying lives. Gambling is not just a gaming issue, it is a public health crisis that is leading to extraordinary suffering and social harm. We can't wait any longer for a considered and significant response to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry by this government.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Mitch Cohen's race-by-race tips and inside mail for Newcastle on Thursday
Form expert Mitch Cohen analyses the eight-race card at Newcastle on Thursday, presenting his best bets, quaddie picks and inside mail. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! â– â– â– â– â– NEWCASTLE TIPS BEST BET Race 7 No.2 INNCOURT: Promising Irish import back from a short freshen-up. He can back-up his strong Wyong win during the winter. NEXT BEST Race 4 No.4 ZOUNAKA: Consistent mare that wasn't far away in stakes grade in her last start back in March. She has trialled up well and can run well fresh. VALUE BEST Race 6 No.2 THUNDERING SOUL: Did more than enough first-up when working home nicely from the back at Gosford. He will be hitting the line strongly again stepping up in trip. QUADDIE Race 5: 3, 5, 8 Race 6: 2, 3, 4, 5 Race 7: 2, 3, 4 Race 8: 4, 5, 7, 8 TRAINER TO FOLLOW Leading trainer Kris Lees has had 427 winners on his home course and has five chances to add to that tally despite promising filly Cantiamo lining up 24 hours earlier in Sydney. JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Apprentice Braith Nock rode more NSW winners than any other rider not named Aaron Bullock last season and looks set for big day with several hopes, including Faye Runaway and Quein Step. â– â– â– â– â– NEWCASTLE INSIDE MAIL RACE 1: Class 1 Plate (1880m) FAYE RUNAWAY (7) was scratched from the second event to step out over more ground over 1880m in the opener. Her record of two placings from 11 starts doesn't read like much but she is coming off a career best performance after flashing home for second over the Kembla Grange mile last time. She finds a winnable race here. STORM PARK (2) is building to a peak performance after laying the groundwork over shorter trips this prep. Third-up now is a winnable race, he gets is chance. HIPPY DREAMS (3) should be another significant improver up in ground. VERDICT: FAYE RUNAWAY (7) to win. BRUT NATURE (2) is an interesting debutant having his first start as a four-year-old. The son of Brutal has only been seen at the trials twice and looked the part in both, handling wet conditions too. Some early market support suggest he could be ready to make an eye-catching debut. DOLLARS (3) has had chances with placings in four of his eight starts. A narrow defeat over a mile at Warwick Farm last time reads well for this. Up to a mile second-up should boost RIDGEBACK (1) 's claims. VERDICT: BRUT NATURE (2) to win. Trainer Brad Widdup has kept his options open for SAVVY HALLIE (10) 's return but if she lines up here, she likely wins. The daughter of Hellbent boasts some serious form during her juvenile season with runner-up finishes in both the Group 3 Bailleau and Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes. She can knock off her maiden pretty fast, albeit at rock bottom odds. RUINATION (4) is a blueblood son of Wootton Bassett out of Group 1 winner Daysee Doom that has trialled up well ahead of his debut. DIETRICH (7) only tired late on debut so should strip fitter second-up. VERDICT: SAVVY HALLIE (10) to win, trifecta 10 (standout) from 2, 4,7. ZOUNAKA (4) makes her return from a 22-week spell after showing some promise last preparation. She was a winner first-up last time before her consistency was rewarded later in the prep with a crack at the Listed Canberra Guineas where she wasn't disgraced. The heavy track is the question mark but she's worth the risk. WAL'S ME MATE (2) got a nice confidence boosting victory last time at Wyong. He'll take plenty of benefit from that and handles the ground. BEAU BANDIT (5), a winner this track and trip in April, is a knockout hope. VERDICT: ZOUNAKA (4) to win, BEAU BANDIT (5) to place. IN AND OUT (3) races in the same green, pink and black colours of his talented stablemate Democracy Manifest. Trainer Chris Waller has taken his time with him but he showed a glimpse of his ability when second at this track on debut in January. He's had a couple of quiet trials and could surprise in an even race. FLORAL LEGEND (5) has trialled up nicely for new trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman. Expect him to be poised to pounce from the good draw. THE STARS (8) will appreciate the drop back to the provincials after being caught wide last start. VERDICT: IN AND OUT (3) each way. THUNDERING SOUL (2) finds himself in one of the most competitive races on the card but looks ready to run a bold race second-up. The home tracker got a mile back over 1100m at Gosford in his return and while he likely gets back here again, he should appreciate the step up to 1250m. Will Stanley's 2kg claim helps his cause. FRONTEX (4) has untapped potential and must be included in all multiples. He was far off the unbeaten Amreekiyah last prep – that's top form for this. BURJ (5) deserves respect with a consistent career to date of two wins, two seconds from six starts. VERDICT: THUNDERING SOUL (2) each-way, saver FRONTEX (4). INNCOURT (2) is a promising Irish-bred import that has so far only been restricted to one Australian start. That came in June at Wyong and the Matt Smith-trained galloper was very impressive, surging home to win over 1200m. He's had a freshen up and tick over trial since. Tipping he will get through his grades quickly. CINSAULT (3) took nine starts to break her maiden but did so stylishly with a 3-1/2 length success over 1300m at Kembla last time. She's in contention again. HOMERIC (4) will likely get back from the draw and be one of the strongest late. SPANDEX (8) is a home tracker chasing a winning hat-trick. The Scott Aspery-trained gelding has won his past two in the bush, including a tough all the way victory over a mile at Scone last time. Rock hard fit from a good draw, he can run well again. MIZELLA (4) has done some of her best racing at Newcastle with two of her three wins coming at the track. She will find this easier than recent Midway assignments. has been doing a terrific job during his debut preparation with wins at Bathurst and Forbes at his past two.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Newcastle preview: All eyes on Matt Smith's progressive import Inncourt
Lightly-raced import Inncourt is far from the complete package but trainer Matt Smith is confident he's got a nice horse in the making as he heads to Newcastle on Thursday. Inncourt has just entered his five-year-old season by Australian standards and has been restricted to just two starts with one run in each hemisphere. The Irish-bred galloper finished midfield in a race at Leopardstown last year before joining Smith's team at Warwick Farm last spring. It took a further eight months to see Inncourt at the races following his first Australian trial last October but the gelding was well worth the wait, breaking his maiden over 1200m at Wyong in June. 'He is still a bit of work in progress and racing a bit upside down and that's why we ran him in a 1200m first-up because he was going hard,' Smith said. 'Jason (Collett) thought 1400m would suit him better but is still doing things wrong. 'He is still a nice horse in the making when he gets confidence and racing under his belt. 'He is just not straight forward at the moment and gets himself a bit wound up.' Smith has been force to take his time to bring Inncourt back to the races with the gelding a touch over two months between runs in the Master Builders Insurance Broker Class 1 (1400m). The gap between runs wasn't by design. 'He just wasn't right and had a couple of weeks where he was a bit off in his work but we couldn't put our finger on it,' he said. 'It might have been a little virus but it didn't seem to be much so we just wanted to make sure he was 100% and air on the side of caution.' A race to race double for @AshMorgan6 with 4yo Inncourt storming down the outside to claim the 1200m 4YO & Up Maiden. Trained by @mcsmithracing, the Inns Of Court import breaking through at his 1st Australian start. Congrats ðŸ'�ðŸ'� #winners — Wyong Race Club (@WyongRaceClub) June 8, 2025 • A tick-over trial over 1200m where he finished alongside talented import Birdman has Inncourt primed for a big return to the races. He is expected to relish the step up in trip and the wider surrounds of Newcastle racecourse with Ash Morgan aboard. Inncourt is a $4.40 chance to win again. 'Newcastle should suit him,' Smith said. 'He is going good and has a good gate. 'I am happy with him, he just needs a bit of racing.' Stablemates Icon Dream ($11) and Septimus ($21) line up together in the Custom Built Projects Class 1 & Maiden (1880m). Icon Dream didn't beat a runner home first-up at the mile but Smith believes she will take plenty of benefit from the run while Septimus is stepping up over a more preferable trip at his third career start. 'Icon Dream wasn't too bad first-up,' Smith said. 'I think she will improve and Septimus will improve too because he wasn't terrible at Gosford, he was just green. 'He will probably go forward and make his own luck and she will be somewhere right behind him I think. 'She has been promising to win one and the owners have been pretty patient but she is only second-up and will be better with another run under the belt.' Lady Memphis is yet to place in four starts this preparation but Smith is confident the mare is going better than that form suggests. The daughter of Invader gets the chance to bounce back in the All Steel Sheds Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m) with Louise Day aboard. 'We will try and be handy on Lady Memphis,' Smith said. 'This race there are a couple there that go all right but will win some races. 'It was a bit of a mess the other day, she jumped good and was wide and went back but she was good the start before. 'Her runs have been OK and I think she won't be far away on Thursday.' â– â– â– â– â– Vigouroux has big expectations for Four Pillars hope Trainer Philippe Vigouroux can start plotting a course towards the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway if Unreal Expectation can complete a sensational winning hat-trick at Newcastle on Thursday. Unreal Expectation can cap off a memorable debut racing preparation when he hunts his third win at just his fifth start in the Buildcert Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m). The son of Under The Louvre is yet to miss the placings and has put together back-to-back victories in the NSW Central West at Bathurst and Forbes. Vigouroux, who trains alongside his wife Tara, plans to send Unreal Expectation for a short break after his provincial debut with big plans in mind. 'I know I have to look up all the time and I do get a bit excited but he could be a horse for the Four Pillars,' he said. 'If we can build up his Benchmark, why not? 'We had Lemaire finish third (in 2022) with Willie Pike on board when he was stuck on the fence and he said 'if I got out when I wanted, I just win'. 'He was an emergency and we were lucky to get a run but we have to dream a little bit.' The Four Pillars, set down for November 1, is raced as a Benchmark 68 under handicap conditions. Unreal Expectation has a rating of 59 heading into his latest assignment and would do his chances of making the Four Pillars a considerable boost with victory. Vigouroux believes he hasn't put a foot wrong this prep. 'He has had four runs this preparation and four very good runs,' he said. 'His two wins came with decent times. The race at Bathurst was run accordingly at Bathurst and the track was heavy at Forbes. 'He has kept improving. His work earlier this week was really good.' Unreal Expectation is a $5.50 chance with Chad Lever set to continue his association with the gelding. Team Vigouroux will kick off the day with the lightly-raced Torpedo Ted ($26) in the Custom Built Projects Class 1 & Maiden (1880m). Torpedo Ted is still a work in progress, according to Vigouroux. 'He will be a decent horse in six months' time,' he said. 'He is by Adelaide so he is going to need a bit more time so we will see what happens. 'We won't get too excited with him yet but his time will come, he's a lovely horse.'
