Hunter Valley trainers ready to take on the big guns

24 October 2021

THEY may go into their respective finals as outsiders, but the Hunter Valley will be represented by five juveniles in Saturday’s New South Wales Breeders Challenge Series finale at Tabcorp Menangle.

Nulkaba-based trainer Clayton Harmey (pictured) has qualified three of his colts for the $150,000 two-year-old division and will be hoping barrier draws give them a chance to get into the mix among a star-studded line-up which is headed by the Jarrod Alchin-trained pair My Ultimate Ronnie and My Ultimate Byron.

Both Alchin’s youngsters were impressive in winning their semi-finals with My Ultimate Ronnie posting an Australasian two-year-old record when he rated 1.50.4 to beat Smaltese, who was brave in finishing second after making all the pace.

Saint Crusader has performed well for Harmey leading to the Breeders Challenge Series, winning four of his seven starts.

His heat win at Newcastle was full of merit, storming home to win in 1.56.9.

Skyfall Benchmark boasts similar form to his stablemate with four wins and as many placings from 10 starts.

He headed up to Tamworth to win his qualifying heat and ran third on October 16 in the semi-final.

The third of Harmey’s finalists, Chatherup, ran fourth in the same semi-final after he also qualified at Tamworth.

Ellalong trainer-driver Michael Formosa will partner ultra-consistent colt Pops Boy in the three-year-old colts and geldings’ NSW Breeders Challenge Final after he finished third behind Captain Crusader on Saturday night.

The son of Blissfull Hall has won seven races this season and has been placed seven times and was aided by a nice run off a fast pace in the semi-final.

Later in the night Formosa finished fourth with Heavenly Holly in the three year old fillies’ division to make it through to Saturday’s big dance.

She went to Tamworth to win her heat on September 9 and is the winner of nine of her 29 outings.

Both Harmey and Formosa have an unusually quiet day at Newcastle this afternoon as they concentrate on next weekend’s feature races.

But with the cessation of regionalised racing in New South Wales, the meeting has been flooded by Sydney raiders with star reinsmen Cameron Hart, Josh Gallagher and Jack Callaghan looking likely to dominate at Newcastle.