RNSW_Oct 21_Col_W

www.racingnsw.com.au Hawkesbury trainers began the new season with a bang, landing 18 winners in August. Leading trainer Brad Widdup had his best start to a racing year preparing nine winners, whilst Matt Vella and Mitchell and Desiree Kearney each had two winners. Claire Lever got Hawkesbury up and running on the opening day of the 2021/22 season when she scored with She’s Smart (ridden by husband Chad) at the Forbes Cup meeting. Widdup was quickly into stride three days later with Kensington winner Nags to Riches (James McDonald), and Terry Croft, Edward Cummings, Garry White and Karen Outtrim also chimed in with winners. Team Kearney celebrated their first success at headquarters when Heza Gentleman won on the Kensington Track on August 25. The same horse gave the couple a city breakthrough when he won at Warwick Farm in August last year. No wonder he is a stable favourite! And he’s well named: “Heza Gentleman is a fantastic horse to train, and gives everything in his races,” Desiree Kearney said. “I wish we had 10 of him. And he is so good with our kids when they come to the stables. He is very gentle with them.” The Hawkesbury husband and wife duo worked out a plan to win the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1550m) with $10 chance Heza Gentleman – and apprentice Ellen Hennessy carried it out perfectly. “Ellen was thinking she might take a sit if Josh Parr wanted to lead on the favourite Off Shaw,” Mitch Kearney said. “But we told her to make the running herself and ensure Off Shaw had to carry his big weight.” Undoubtedly, it meant the difference between victory and defeat. Hennessy’s 3kg claim brought Heza Gentleman in with only 51.5kg, 8kg less than Off Shaw ($2.50), who couldn’t peg back the gutsy Hawkesbury gelding as much as he tried. It was no coincidence either that Hennessy had the mount as Heza Gentleman is clearly a “ladies’ man”. HAWKESBURY RACE CLUB 31 Berdibek (Brenton Avdulla) takes out the recent Pioneer Services Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury