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News.com.au
01-06-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Diwali relishes the step up to two miles in the Sandown Cup
Developing stayer Diwali caused a minor upset in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday. Diwali, aptly-named and trained for success on Australian Steeplechase race day, capitalised on the slowly-run Sandown Cup and finished better than favourites Through Irish Eyes and Alma Rise. A horse named Diwali, trained by the late Rick Hore-Lacy, won the 1982 Australian Steeplechase. Former jumps jockey-turned-trainer Gavin Bedggood, who trains the current Diwali, rode three Australian Steeplechase winners including Mazzacano (2007 and 2009) and Vindicating (2011). 'He presented well, he'd (Diwali) been running well… and the race was there,' Bedggood said. 'We thought it was probably going to end up like it was, horses from the Andrew Ramsden, a few jumpers… we were untried at the distance range but we thought with the right run in transit it should work well for him.' Diwali won a 2400m Benchmark 58 Handicap at Moe three back and most recently placed second at Sandown over the same distance in a midweek Benchmark 70. The four-year-old worked smartly last week, which convinced Bedggood to go for the Sandown Cup. Diwali relishes the two-mile test of the Listed Sandown Cup â�ï¸� @GavinBedggood 's strong form continues ðŸ'¥ — (@Racing) June 1, 2025 'We came here today with reasonable confidence, obviously a horse with a low benchmark rating but on fresh legs I suppose,' Bedggood said. Bedggood said the Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m) on July 19 at Flemington could be viable winter finale for Diwali. 'We got six weeks, we'll probably send him to the beach tomorrow and give him a week to freshen up a little bit,' Bedggood said. 'Maybe look for a 2500m run at Flemington in between time, we might get three weeks, three weeks into that race (Flemington Cup) and use it as our final.' Experienced jockey Joe Bowditch praised Bedggood's placement of Diwali. 'Can't this bloke train a racehorse? Never put anything past Gavin,' Bowditch said. 'I won a Benchmark 58 at Moe on (Diwali) three starts back, he was impressive but I wouldn't have thought we'd be here… full credit to Gavin.' Bowditch had the race won a long way out on Diwali, who turned for home with plenty to offer. 'Once we came past the winning post (the first time) the anchor went out and everything steadied up,' Bowditch said. 'I was quite glad to see Linda (Meech) take off and get going and that just allowed me to get away from the fence and get off the back of Glentaneous. 'Bided my time and once Declan (Bates) got going I was able to get a beautiful cart up… I was a bit worried I was going to get there a little bit too soon. 'The horse was travelling that well I didn't want to stop his momentum over this trip, stop start on him, I just kept letting him flow and he was too good.'
Herald Sun
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Jumps trainer Andrew Bobbin making big leaps with Brierly Steeplechase success
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. 'When I started as a racehorse trainer, I didn't know the difference between a hurdle and a steeple.' Andrew Bobbin only started training less than five years ago so he has quickly learned, judging by Duke Of Bedford's determined Brierly Steeplechase win at Warrnambool. As a former NRL player with St George Illawarra in Sydney, Bobbin wasn't a regular viewer of jumps racing, which was last held in NSW in 1992. • 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! But Bobbin soon realised he could train jumpers and stayers at his property near Stawell in western Victoria. 'It started with a horse called Mighty Oasis,' Bobbin said. 'We had a few logs and popped him over them and we thought, 'what do you know? He might be able to jump'. 'So we started a new facet of training and something in which we have found a niche.' Mighty Oasis went on two win two hurdle races at the Thackeray Steeplechase at Warrnambool in 2023. Warrnambool gave Bobbin his richest win when Irishman William McCarthy steered Duke Of Bedford to his Brierly Steeplechase triumph. Bobbin was looking for a rider for Duke Of Bedford late last week before taking a punt on McCarthy, who was on his second day back from surgery to reattach shoulder tendons. McCarthy's record at Warrnambool convinced Bobbin to give the rider a chance for a rich payday early in his comeback from 10 months away from racing. McCarthy's confidence was high after winning the first race of the day on the Ciaron Maher-trained Through Irish Eyes. Bobbin hailed McCarthy's handling of Duke Of Bedford, who led from the first jump to the last, defying all challenges. 'Willie's record here at Warrnambool and when the weights came out, I still hadn't confirmed a rider,' Bobbin said. 'Tommy Ryan has done so much work on this horse and Will Gordon's done the most work on this horse but just the way the cards fell today, Willie got the job. 'There's none better than Willie around this circuit and I was bloody glad that Willie was on when the pressure was on.' Duke Of Bedford clears a steeple on his way to winning the Brierly Steeplechase. Picture: Pat Scala/Racing Photos via Getty Images Duke Of Bedford ($4.40) prevailed over the local hope, the Symon Wilde-trained Freddy The Eagle ($7.50) while the $11 chance Instigator was third. Punters at Warrnambool gasped when the $3.30 favourite Leaderboard fell following a faulty step after jumping the first of the Tozer Road double. Leaderboard was quickly to his feet but is unlikely to be cleared to run in Thursday's Grand Annual Steeplechase. Jockey Will Gordon arrived back at scale with blood-spattered silks but was later cleared of a broken nose. Bobbin said he would take as long as allowed to decide whether Duke Of Bedford backed up in the Grand Annual Steeplechase. 'We'll see how the field holds up and at 7.28am on Thursday morning, I'll still be scratching my head,' Bobbin said. 'I might even toss a coin.' Originally published as Andrew Bobbin lands Brierly Steeplechase as he quickly establishes himself as a successful jumps trainer
News.com.au
29-04-2025
- Climate
- News.com.au
Warrnambool carnival starts to mixed weather and punters' fortunes
Global warming deniers would have been excused for doubting themselves for most of Tuesday's opening day of the Warrnambool May carnival. Those of use that have been to many Warrnambool carnivals have shivered through wind, rain, sideways rain, hail and breezes most of us would swear came directly from the polar ice caps. But not Tuesday as jackets were discarded, shirt sleeves abounded while some ladies decided sleeveless dresses were the order of the day as the sun beat down early. A couple of blokes even donned their South Sydney NRL jerseys as a fashion statement. Ties aren't required for the fellas in the Warrnambool members and suits draw stares from the hardened veterans of the carnival. Unlike many big race days in Melbourne, punters love to get to the races early during the Warrnambool, especially on the first day. An intriguing show of human nature unfolds in the hour or so leading up to the first race. • Punters that haven't seen each other since last year's carnival note the familiar faces as they walk to their favourite spots, give each other a short nod of acknowledgment as they 'take block' for the three days. But soon the nods gave way to deep and sometimes animated conversations about the vital issues facing everyone inside the gates at the 'Bool. The electoral bluster of the nation's leaders is shunted way off to the side. Cost of living issues only stretch to whether the Warrnambool Racing Club has increased the price of a beer in the ensuing 12 months. Enquiries of the status of the spouse and kids are merely perfunctory before the important talk starts. 'What are you backing today?', 'got any mail?', 'I got a tip for this in the pub last night' replace any discussion of politics, religion or family in the lead-up to the first at 'the 'Bool'. The local hero Ciaron Maher got the job done for his disciples in the opening race when the favourite Through Irish Eyes held off the determined Stockman to win narrowly. The sun continued to pose problems for the follically challenged or those without hats in what was a glorious setting until after Wuddzz saluted in the first leg of the quaddie. However, Mother Nature got her act together for the last three races as cloud increased and the temperatures dropped quicker than St Kilda's finals hopes in the last three weeks. By the last, the puffer jackets and vests were back on as were the coats as punters trudged out the gates after the defeat of the $2.10 favourite Stokke in the last race. Warrnambool is back for another year and the local coat sellers could be in for some sales on Wednesday and Thursday.
Mercury
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Mercury
Jumps trainer Andrew Bobbin making big leaps with Brierly Steeplechase success
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. 'When I started as a racehorse trainer, I didn't know the difference between a hurdle and a steeple.' Andrew Bobbin only started training less than five years ago so he has quickly learned, judging by Duke Of Bedford's determined Brierly Steeplechase win at Warrnambool. As a former NRL player with St George Illawarra in Sydney, Bobbin wasn't a regular viewer of jumps racing, which was last held in NSW in 1992. • 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! But Bobbin soon realised he could train jumpers and stayers at his property near Stawell in western Victoria. 'It started with a horse called Mighty Oasis,' Bobbin said. 'We had a few logs and popped him over them and we thought, 'what do you know? He might be able to jump'. 'So we started a new facet of training and something in which we have found a niche.' Mighty Oasis went on two win two hurdle races at the Thackeray Steeplechase at Warrnambool in 2023. Warrnambool gave Bobbin his richest win when Irishman William McCarthy steered Duke Of Bedford to his Brierly Steeplechase triumph. Bobbin was looking for a rider for Duke Of Bedford late last week before taking a punt on McCarthy, who was on his second day back from surgery to reattach shoulder tendons. McCarthy's record at Warrnambool convinced Bobbin to give the rider a chance for a rich payday early in his comeback from 10 months away from racing. McCarthy's confidence was high after winning the first race of the day on the Ciaron Maher-trained Through Irish Eyes. Bobbin hailed McCarthy's handling of Duke Of Bedford, who led from the first jump to the last, defying all challenges. 'Willie's record here at Warrnambool and when the weights came out, I still hadn't confirmed a rider,' Bobbin said. 'Tommy Ryan has done so much work on this horse and Will Gordon's done the most work on this horse but just the way the cards fell today, Willie got the job. 'There's none better than Willie around this circuit and I was bloody glad that Willie was on when the pressure was on.' Duke Of Bedford clears a steeple on his way to winning the Brierly Steeplechase. Picture: Pat Scala/Racing Photos via Getty Images Duke Of Bedford ($4.40) prevailed over the local hope, the Symon Wilde-trained Freddy The Eagle ($7.50) while the $11 chance Instigator was third. Punters at Warrnambool gasped when the $3.30 favourite Leaderboard fell following a faulty step after jumping the first of the Tozer Road double. Leaderboard was quickly to his feet but is unlikely to be cleared to run in Thursday's Grand Annual Steeplechase. Jockey Will Gordon arrived back at scale with blood-spattered silks but was later cleared of a broken nose. Bobbin said he would take as long as allowed to decide whether Duke Of Bedford backed up in the Grand Annual Steeplechase. 'We'll see how the field holds up and at 7.28am on Thursday morning, I'll still be scratching my head,' Bobbin said. 'I might even toss a coin.' Originally published as Andrew Bobbin lands Brierly Steeplechase as he quickly establishes himself as a successful jumps trainer
