Hartnell Benefits As Winx Sidesteps

The G2 Chelmsford S. at Randwick on Saturday was robbed of some major interest as deteriorating ground conditions forced Chris Waller to withdraw his star mare Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) from the 1600m contest. Waller insisted skipping the race would not impact on Winx's G1 Cox Plate preparation and he plans to run her in the G1 George Main S. in two weeks time with a raceourse gallop scheduled for next Saturday at Rosehill. Despite her absence from the Chelmsford Waller still saddled four of the six runners, however it wasn't enough to claim the spoils as Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) stormed home under James McDonald to beat Waller's Grand Marshal (GB) (Dansili {GB}) by seven and three quarter lengths for John O'Shea and the Godolphin team. The former Mark Johnston trained winner had previously run an eye catching race when a fast finishing second to Winx in the G2 Warwick S. two weeks ago and the winning jockey James McDonald quipped, “I wish Winx was in it! No, she might have come out on top but this horse is going really good. I was rapt with his first up run and he has built on that.” McDonald added, “Going forward he is in for a great campaign. He's strengthened up, he's a proper horse, he's walking around relaxed, he's traveling spot on.”
Trainer John O'Shea suggested the G1 Metropolitan at Randwick Oct. 1 as a potential aim for the winner who was the first leg of a group 2 double for connections. They later teamed up for victory in the G2 Tramway S. with Hauraki (Aus) (Reset {Aus}). It was the 5-year-old's first win since landing the G2 Tulloch S. at Rosehill almost eighteen moths ago and should set him up nicely for a tilt at the G1 Epsom H. Oct. 1. Speaking to racing.com Godolphin chief executive John Ferguson commented, “Hauraki's a horse that John [O'Shea] has obviously held in high regard. He's gone and won very well today. Hopefully he can go and win a G1 WFA and then the Epsom.”[bullet ad=”lanes-end-hip-289-keesep”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”]