Newhaven Park Country Championships by Bernard Kenny

It was the Justin W Stanley trained Good Host, jockey Jake Pracey-Holmes, in winning the Dubbo WRA Country Championships Qualifier on Sunday 25 March, that moves the spotlight to the Newhaven Park Country Championship Final at The Championships, Royal Randwick on Saturday 7 April.

Jake Pracey-Holmes outlasted rival Rachael Murry, on Sea Lady to score by a nose margin. Incision, Grant Buckley was third, with the winning time being 1:23.76 for 1400m on a Good 3 track.

The Country Champion Qualifying series concludes on Sunday 1 April at Muswellbrook with the Country Championships Wild Card over 1280m, and open to horses that did not qualify previously.

The series comprises seven qualifying races each carrying $150,000 prizemoney, with the winner and second earning the right to contest the Championship Final. The ‘Wild Card’ is of $50,000.

Newhaven Park is in its second year of sponsoring the Country Championships Final and announced that they will continue their race sponsorship for the next three years.

Newhaven Park is one of Australia’s leading thoroughbred nurseries based in Boorowa, NSW. The stud farm is synonymous with the Golden Slipper having bred the winners Prowl, Burst, Vivarchi and John’s Hope, while standing Slipper winner’s Luskin Star, Marauding and Tierce at Newhaven Park.

The breeder of over 50 Group One winners including most recently English, Peeping, Zac Spirit and Wylie Hall, Newhaven Park is responsible for past champions Absolute Champion, Grand Armee, Wenona Girl, Research, Encounter, Assertive Lass and Arborea.

The Country Championships began at Port Macquarie on Sunday 18 February with local trainer Jenny Graham preparing a winning quinella in the MNCRA Country Championship Qualifier of 1200m.

Victorem, the $1.90 favourite ridden by Ben Looker, defeated Awesome Pluck, Aaron Bulloch, by 1¼ length with Portatorio in third. Victorem won in 1:12.51 on Good 4 track.

Goulburn followed by staging their SERA Country Qualifier of 1400m on Saturday 24 February with local Danny Williams also training a winning quinella, plus saddling 9 of the 15 starters.

The $6.50 chance Kopi Luwak, ridden by Rory Hutchins, gained his winning break when attempting to race four wide on entering the home straight, only to be pushed forwards towards the running rail. Kopi Luwak held Pumpkin Pie to the line to win by ¼ length in a 1:20.98 race record time.

The $51 outsider Cosmologist, trained by Dean Mirfin at Bathurst and ridden by Eleanor Webster-Hawes, scored a run-away victory in the Mudgee CDRA Qualifier 1400m on Sunday 25 February.

Run in torrential rain, and with course announcer Col Hodges unable to call the field well into the home straight, Cosmologist won by 2½ lengths from fellow $51 outsider Noel’s Gift, trained by Gayner Williams, with Ori On Fire finishing third.

The SDRA Country Championships Qualifier were held at Wagga Wagga on Sunday 4 March with victory going to O’ So Hazy, ridden by Brooke Sweeney for trainer Scott Speckman. O’ So Hazy scored by a ¼ length from the fast finishing Bennelong Dancer, Blake McDonald, with Class Clown third.

The Matthew Dunn trained Snitz ran a race record of 1:22.16 on a Soft 4 track in the NRRA Championships Qualifier at Grafton on Sunday 11 March. Starting as $1.55 favourite, winning jockey Robbie Fradd took a rails run to defeat Ferniehurst by ¾ length, with Matthew Dunn also training the third placegetter Iggy The Moocher.

In a most thrilling finish the Melanie O’Gorman trained Suncraze, starting as $1.90 favourite and ridden by Corey Brown, scored a nose victory to win the Scone hosted H&NWRA Championship Qualifier. Careless Choice, Mitchell Bell, was caught by Suncraze on the line, with the time being 1:22.44 for 1400m on a Good 4 track.

The 2017 Country Championships Final witnessed enormous support from all corners of New South Wales and succeeded in bringing the heart of country racing to the city.

 

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