Budd Sidewinder Finally gets his Cup
Budd Sidewinder pictured from earlier in his career at Busselton
The Wagin season officially kicked off with a nine-race-card on the eve of Good Friday, with the running of the 2021 Palace Hotel Wagin Cup.
The $10,000 feature went the way of Budd Sidewinder, trained by Michael Callegari and driven by Ashleigh Markham.
Budd Sidewinder is no stranger to country cups, but Thursday nights Wagin Cup was the seven-year-old geldings first feature race success.
“Thursday night was Budds first cup win, he finished fourth in the Busselton Cup and third in the Bridgetown cup this year,”
“I was reasonably confident in his ability for Thursday nights race, but he always needs luck as he usually draws the worst barrier because he’s the highest classed horse in the race.” Callegari said.
Starting at $9.50 odds, the win brings the geldings earning up to $103,556, with the handy type racking up 16 wins and 37 placing from 117 starts.
“Although he is not the best horse I have trained, he is very consistence and always tries his hardest. I would love a stable full of horses like him.” He said.
Southern Belle NZ kicked off the meeting with a win in the first for trainer Larry Nelligan and driver Shannon Suvaljko, giving Nelligan his first win with the mare since purchasing her in February this year. Quickly backing up from Tuesday, she fought on grimly to win by a half neck over Alta Camino.
Wayne and Jack Justins teamed up in race two with Billyjacks Mate, giving the double westbred gelding his second victory in just six starts. The Collie based stable had a fruitful night with their other stable runner placing third in race one.
Our Surrogate made the trip down from Hopeland well worth it for trainer Giles Inwood, with his all the way victory in the third. This brought up the geldings fifth win for Inwood since entering his stable.
Aiden De Campo continued his winning form, with Secret Reaction proving to be too strong for rivals in the Bush Chook Westbred Fillies & Mares feature, starting as the second favourite from barrier eight. Sitting three wide from the bell, the three-year-old filly hit the lead in the closing stages to win by 2.6 metres.
Favourite punters were left celebrating when Tenacious George lead all the way For Sarah Wall and Chris Voak in race five, the Swan Draught Westbred Entires & Geldings $7000 feature.
Kathy Gray had the honours of clerking her husband Gary Gray back to the winner’s circle when Foveaux Major NZ won narrowly after a 30m handicap in the standing start. Starting at $17 odds, the gelding by champion sire, Art Major stepped perfectly from the second line, even after being slightly inconvenienced by the strand, and managed to settle three back the pegs in the early stages but was too strong for his rivals in the end, winning narrowly by 1.4m.
Ian Mulcahy made the trip up from Albany with just the one runner, but he was rewarded with the win in race eight with Yankee Jewel. Mitchell Miller was in the cart this week and positioned the gelding 4 back on the pegs. With the leader stopping quickly, Miller strategically popped off the fence and quickly made his way to the lead, managing to fight off rivals by just over six metres.
The maidens rounded out the program, but the favourite Mad Magic has now graduated from the class with an impressive all the way victory for trainer Brad Lynn and driver Emily Suvaljko.
Racing at Wagin will be back on Friday the 28th of May, with the meeting sponsored by Boyles Shearing Service
Ashleigh Paikos