Cult Hero Widgee Turf Closes in on a Million

Mark Smith - Sunday March 17

Queensland-based owners Gordon and Marlene McIntosh continue to live the dream with their bargain basement purchase Widgee Turf as the crowd favourite is fast-closing in on a million dollars in earnings following his second stakes win in Saturday's Listed March Stakes at Flemington.

Billy Egan has been on the back of the 5yo son of Turffontein in nine of his ten starts and he was back on board on Saturday with a perfectly timed finish to defeat another resilient character in the 8yo Helike gelding Hellova Street by a neck with the Magnus gelding Streets Of Avalon a head back in third.

Advertisement


"I was handy and they rolled along and I know that he likes to have a resting run to have a finishing burst and I thought I am going to get past them, but he's only got so much petrol there," Egan told racing.com.

"But he really hit the line well. You can never bag him, he always runs an honest race and I am certainly rapt to be a part of him."

The Patrick Payne-trained gelding advances his overall record to 10, 9 3 from 27 starts with earnings of $964,300.

His previous stakes win came in the Group III MRC Victoria Handicap at Caulfield almost 12 months ago. (photo Grant Courtney)

A bargain basement $4,5000 purchase by Crown Valley Lodge from the Little Plains Stud draft at the 2014 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale, Widgee Turf is the fourth foal of the Kala Dancer mare Greyhound who was pensioned after foaling Widgee Turf but after five seasons in the paddock the 21yo mare was covered by Turffontein last December.

After finishing last at her one and only start, Greyhound did not start her breeding career until she was 11 years old.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Sixth Stakes Winner for Turffontein
The Scott Brunton-trained Mandela Effect had a long and fruitful campaign in Victoria last year, which began with a win at Bendigo in March and culminated with a defeat of Ranier at Flemington on Mackinnon Stakes day on November 19.
Well Bred Zousain Debut Winner
A full sister to Zousain’s Group III winning filly Drifting, Cheeky Contiki made a winning debut at Pakenham on Monday for the Lindsay Park Racing team.
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
Was it that Unusual? Who is the Oldest?
There was a lot of attention in the media regarding the age of Australian Horse of the Year elect Via Sistina (IRE) when she returned to racing for a new campaign at Randwick last Saturday, but was it really that uncommon to see an eight year-old G1 winner?
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 25
Here is the full list of 12 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.