THURSDAY: February 20, 2025: BRAD Widdup rang up a career 400 winners at home today with the first overseas horse he has prepared.
There was surely a sense of irony as Hawkesbury’s leading trainer achieved the milestone with a four-year-old mare from the other side of the world.
Impeccably-bred Sunset Park ($2.25 favorite) led throughout in the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (2000m) to post her second success at only her third start.
Not only was it his 400th winner since he scored with his very first starter – Junglized on Canberra’s synthetic track in May 2017 – but also the Hawkesbury training base’s 100thwinner this season.
And his victory with Sea The Stars mare Sunset Park also lifted him to the lead in this season’s local trainers’ premiership.
Sunset Park was Brad’s 43rd winner this season and, though the margin was narrow, he was very pleased with her performance.
Alysha Collett took the lightly-raced mare to the lead soon after the start, and Sunset Park showed plenty of grit to hold off the more seasoned Adios Steve ($21) in a close finish.
“She is the first overseas horse I have had the opportunity to train,: a proud Brad said this evening.
“That was only her third start and first at 2000m, and it’s not easy for an inexperienced mare to do it all the way.
“It would be nice if she was a three-year-old filly to aim at an Oaks, but of course she is now a four-year-old.
“There’s no doubt she has further improvement, and I’ll be guided by her progress as to where we go next with her.”
Sunset Park’s tenacious triumph also gave Brad the lead in the Hawkesbury trainers’ premiership.
He has trained nine winners at home so far this season, one more than training partnerships Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou and Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald.
Sunset Park was purchased unraced in the UK by Sydney businessman Adrian Whittingham.Her sire Sea The Stars is regarded as one of the greatest racehorses of all time.
Whilst Brad couldn’t clinch an early qualification for the Provincial-Midway Championships at Royal Randwick on April 12 with Hasty Honey ($14), who finished fifth in today’s opening Qualifier (1400m), he may have another crack at Newcastle on Saturday week with Colours Of Autumn.