SUNDAY: May 17, 2020: ADELONG surely is an owner’s dream!
The talented Hawkesbury mare at Rosehill Gardens yesterday made it four wins and two seconds from only six starts for leading trainer Brad Widdup, who has done a superb job with her.
Not bad considering she cost only $10,175 when owner Michael Coleman purchased her online 13 months ago as an unraced three-year-old.
Adelong’s Rosehill romp in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m) lifted her earnings to just over $140,000 – with the promise of plenty more to come.
And, being a well-bred mare (she is the third foal of the now deceased Redoute’s Choice mare Snowgums), she is also adding to her future value as a broodmare.
How many other owners who have never tasted success would count their lucky stars to race a horse such as her?
Confidently ridden by James McDonald, who afterwards was in no doubt Adelong ($2.90 favorite) is headed for stakes company, the Medaglia D’Oro four-year-old was dynamic in bolting home by two and a half lengths.
In the process, she turned the tables on runner-up Lashes ($3.20), who inflicted the first defeat on the Hawkesbury “girl” (after she had won her first three starts) in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m) on the Kensington track on January 4 at the end of her first racing campaign.
Whilst naturally delighted to see Adelong post her first Saturday metropolitan victory in such an impressive manner, Widdup considered the best part about her performance was that she was so relaxed.
“She did everything right,” he said today.
“It was good to see her relax and win in the manner in which she did.
“I was pretty confident beforehand that she could bounce back from her narrow first-up defeat at Canterbury last month.”
Adelong resumed at Canterbury on April 22 and was brave in going under narrowly, with 58kg, to Lesage in a Benchmark 74 Handicap (1100m).
She went into that race with only one barrier trial under her belt, and her trainer afterwards chose not to race her with a tongue tie at her next start.
Adelong went into yesterday’s race with a Benchmark 72 rating, and has been lifted six points by the RacingNSW handicapping panel.
However, her trainer is in no hurry to rush her interstate to Brisbane this season for any winter assignments.
“There are opportunities in Sydney in the coming weeks, and perhaps even the Listed Bob Charley AO Stakes (1200m) – previously the June Stakes – at Randwick on June 6,” Widdup said.
“If she continues to improve, there is also the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton in early July to consider.
“But it’s one step at a time.”
Adelong gave Widdup his 29th winner of the season, and he is eyeing the future with confidence.
“We’ve got a lot of young horses coming through,” he said. “Things are looking good.”