Trainer Kim Waugh swaps Ashes for Sydney Cup pursuit

Kim Waugh, centre, will unleash two Sydney Cup contenders this weekend. Picture by Geoff Jones

Things are just getting back to normal in Kim Waugh's house after the late nights of an Ashes cricket series.

The leading Wyong horse trainer is married to former top cricketer Mark Waugh, who watched intently as Australia retained the Ashes in one of the all-time great series.

So for the past two months, they crossed paths in the nights as Mark sat up to the early hours of the morning watching the action in England while Kim was leaving for work.

"It's normally really busy at home but it goes to another level when the Ashes are on the television until early morning," Waugh told ACM Racing.

"Mark sits up watching it but I'm usually in bed by 8.30pm each night as I'm down at the stables by 4am every morning.

"Mark is still really passionate about his cricket especially about the Ashes. I might watch the first few overs of the cricket but it's off to bed for me after that. We've got 35 horses in work between our farm and our on-course stables at Wyong.

"It's what they call a small boutique stable by modern standards. The farm and on-course stables work out really well for us as we've got horses in full work and got some pre-trainers. There's a lot of young horses in the stable and they take time to educate to get them ready to race.

"It's all about blooding young horses and putting them through the system. It all just takes time. We moved a few of our older horses on because they had reached their level. The on-course training facilities at Wyong are excellent for training."

Waugh, who trained 37 winners in the 2022-23 racing season, has high hopes for more success in the new campaign.

"I was very happy how the stable performed in 2022-23," she said. "It could have been even better if some of the results went our way. We had 34 horses that ran second and 30 finished in third place with a ounce of luck our season may have been a lot better but that's the fluctuating fortunes of racing.

"We're so lucky to be racing in NSW where the prize money is so good compared to Victoria. New South Wales racing is leading the way regarding prize-money in Australia. The excellent prize-money gives owners a chance to get a great return on their investment ."

The Sydney Cup winning trainer saddles up two runners Oxford Vision and Kingsheir at Rosehill on Saturday. Oxford Vision is first-up in the $120,000 Midway Handicap (1100m) while Kingsheir runs in the $150,000 TAB Handicap (1500m).

"I've got a very good opinion of Oxford Vision," Waugh said. "He's first-up on Saturday and has a great first-up record. He's trialled up well leading into Saturday.

"I thought his last two wins in his last campaign at Gosford were very good. I would say he's improved from his last campaign. My biggest concern is the wide barrier. He's drawn barrier 12 and that can be tricky from the 1100 metre start.

"Kingsheir is a nice horse. He had a minor throat operation at the end of his last campaign. His first-up run at Rosehill is better than it looks on paper.

"I think going forward he'll run out a strong 1500 metres and I would like to think we may get him out to 2000 metres in this preparation. He's been unlucky in a few races and with a bit of luck he could have won more than the five races that he's won."

Waugh won the 2005 Sydney Cup with Mahtoum. BET365 have Oxford Vision as a $12 hope in the early betting markets while Kingsheir is a $14 chance. Melbourne racing heads to Flemington for the opening meeting of the 2022-23 racing season on Saturday.

The Group 2 $200,000 Aurie's Star Handicap (1200m) to be run down the famous Flemington straight is the feature race on the ten event program. Champion trainer James Cummings has a strong hand in the sprint feature saddling up Ingratiating and Zethus.

Cummings has called on the services of leading Victorian jockeys Ben Melham and Blake Shinn to ride his runners. Melham is aboard Ingratiating while Shinn has the mount on Zethus. Early betting markets with BET365 rate Cause For Concern as the $4.20 favourite.

Darwin hosts its big carnival this Saturday and Monday. Saturday's feature is the the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) and the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) is run on Monday.