Widdup back with Sneaky chance after trouble-free lead-up
“She has got a good draw, which will help her get the right run.
“I feel like she is up to this level and, being a Magic Millions horse, starting here gives us the chance to head in that direction.”
The Starlight is a remarkable betting race. Bookmakers opened Sneaky Paige as one of four $4.80 equal favourites along with Malkovich, Quick Tempo and Conscript, while Dragonstone was backed from $6 to $5 when the market opened.
Punters have rallied behind the speedy Malkovich to make him the $3.40 favourite, and Sneaky Paige has got out to $6.
Widdup will have Phearson in the Festival Stakes a race earlier at Rosehill.
Phearson won the Hawkesbury Provincial-Midway qualifier last year before running into a lot of trouble in the final and has continued to improve since.
He was the Goulburn Cup runner-up behind Festival favourite Grebeni before being outsprinted over 1300m at Newcastle when third to Ka Bling on Hunter day.
“We probably got that wrong – dropping back 100m in trip. He is looking for the 1500m,” Widdup said. “Now he has drawn well [in gate five] he will get a good run, and I think he is up to this sort of race.
“He has a really good turn of foot when he gets the right run, and he could surprise them on Saturday.
“It is a good time to test him because I have the Provincial Championships in mind for him as he still qualifies for it. He is a better horse now than in the autumn, and I think he could get into the final again.”
Jenny Duggan had to watch as Torrens won the Christmas Cup last year, but she is thrilled to be back on her favourite horse at his favourite time of the year as he defends the crown at Rosehill on Saturday.
Duggan had taken time off to get her body right at this time last year, including injections to her neck to help recover from the lingering effects of a fall, but she was always going to return to riding.
“I just needed to get my body right,” Duggan said. “It means I’m back now and feeling good.
“It was so exciting when I knew I was going to get back on Torrens because he has been such a good horse to me.”
The son of Adelaide had given Duggan a first group win when he took out the City Tatts Cup in 2021. That was part of a three-win burst for Duggan and Torrens that included the Beauford at Newcastle.
It was another year before Torrens won again in the Christmas Cup with Josh Parr in the saddle.
The seven-year-old has returned to his best form, running fourth to Land legend in the St Leger before chasing home Stroke Of Luck as the Beauford runner-up a couple of weeks ago.
“He really finds his form at this time of year, and it is as good as he has ever gone,” Duggan said.
