Late-comer Schwarz Stradbroke-bound after Hawkesbury Guineas romp

It was a wait for Schwarz to come of age but he has a sense of timing about him heading to Brisbane for the Stradbroke after winning Saturday’s Hawkesbury Guineas.

The Zoustar colt missed his two-year-old season with a series of problems, but patient and hard work between trainer John O’Shea and the Rosemont Alliance stallion syndicate could get the ultimate return in the Brisbane.

Schwarz wins the Hawkesbury Guineas.

“We had to wait for him to be right because, as you can see, he has plenty of ability,” O’Shea said. “Every run he is learning more, and he will be even better with a bunny to follow.

“He will learn from that win and will go to the Fred Best Stakes in three weeks, and hopefully that will get him into the Stradbroke.”

Schwarz ($2.40) gave favourite punters a carefree ride. James McDonald took him to the front and, when challenged in the straight, kicked again to win by 1¾ lengths from Bojangles ($16), with McHale ($15) a short neck back in third.

It was a margin that could have been bigger if McDonald had wanted.

“He is maturing all the time, this fellow, but he still switches on and off in his races,” McDonald said. “He got into a beautiful rhythm and has such a nice action; it is so smooth.

“He definitely has more to give, and I think at this trip [1400m] he is very comfortable, and he might eventually get out to mile because he is so strong.

“He is just a great colt and still on his way up.”

Bookmakers reacted to Schwarz’s win by shortening him from $26 to $15 for the group 1 Stradbroke (1400m) before he was backed into $11 for Queensland’s biggest race. He will follow the same path as last year’s Guineas winner, Hawaii Five Oh, which won the Fred Best before running third to Think About It in the Stradbroke.

O’Shea made it a winning double when Fall For Cindy dead-heated with Rise Of The Masses later in the afternoon.

Rawiller the difference for Just Folk in Hawkesbury Cup

Nash Rawiller returns on Just Folk.

It took all Nash Rawiller’s vigour, strength and guile to get Just Folk a narrow victory in the Hawkesbury Cup (1600m) on Saturday.

The Victorian visitor kicked through on the inside of leader Attractable coming to the 300m mark, but Just Folk wanted to weave in and out from there as Rawiller attempted to hold on in front and keep him straight.

“He got to the 100m mark and saw the grandstand and thought his job was done,” Rawiller said. “He just didn’t want to go straight and in the last 100m the reins were slipping in my hands as I tried to grab and straighten him.

“It was really hard to keep him going and keep him straight, but he got there.”

Detonator Jack ($3.50 fav) and Welwal ($7) charged late down the centre of track for second and third, but Just Folk ($7) held a short head margin and a half-neck at the post.

“Without Nash I don’t think we win,” trainer Gavin Bedggood said. “He was the difference.

“This was part of a plan, to come here on the way to Queensland. His best runs are always third and fourth up.

“This was the first target, and last time he won the Eclipse Stakes fourth up on a seven-day back-up, so if he comes through that all right, the plan was to go to the Hollindale Cup next week in Queensland.”

It was cup of full of drama, Madame Pommery was a late scratching after getting down in the barriers, and Tim Clark jumped off New Endeavour pulling up after suffering a back spasm.

Media World heads north after Clarendon win

Peter Snowden has Brisbane in his sights for Media World after he dominated the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

Star apprentice Zac Lloyd found the front on the $1.4 million Written Tycoon colt and controlled the race before sprinting home in 33.41 seconds for his final 600m.

“The plan wasn’t to be in front but I had to use him to get a position and be there,” Lloyd said. “He then just relaxed so well in front and did everything right.”

Media World was backed into $4.60 favourite and held off Monte Veebee ($7.50) to win by a short neck, with Canara ($9.50) left 2½ lengths in their wake in third.

“He’s still learning and getting better, and I don’t think the mile would be beyond him in time,” Snowden said. “There are a couple of nice races for him in Brisbane, and we go there for the Sires and JJ Atkins now.

“He is still got a way to go but he is a quality colt.”

Media World remains a $26 chance for the JJ Atkins, where he would be attempting to match the deeds of Zoustar, which won a Clarendon before the group 1 two-year-old mile in Brisbane.

The Peter and Paul Snowden stable made it a double when imported mare Coco Jamboo made a winning debut in Australia in the Hawkesbury Crown.

Parisal strikes it lucky in Gold Rush

Star apprentice Zac Lloyd compared flying mare Parisal to Galaxy winner Zapeteo after she again returned a winner in the Gold Rush at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

The Astern half-sister to Newmarket winner Cylinder used her inside draw to advantage and speared through late to get a listed victory.

Zac Lloyd rides Parisal to victory in the Gold Rush.

“She is very good and probably just off being a group 1 horse but in the right race, she could step up to that level,” Lloyd said. “I was very confident in her in that race because she has always been good fresh, and even though they sprinted home very quickly I was always confident of winning.

“She’s like a Zapeteo that keeps improving, and she might eventually get her chance at the top level.”

Parisal ($2.80 fav) scored by a half-length from Eagle Nest ($11), with Godolphin stablemate Spacewalk ($3.30) another two lengths back in third

Gentileschi heads up the highway to Queensland Oaks

Scone trainer Paul Messara has past the halfway point of the Queensland Oaks preparation with Gentileschi and she remains unbeaten heading to Brisbane after a commanding Highway Handicap victory at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

The Dundeel filly started the $2.10 favourite but looked in trouble when she dropped the bridle at 600m. However, she powered home to score by two lengths from Toes In The Water ($31), with Kenichi ($14) a half-length in third.

“We had planned a five-race campaign and that’s the third win, and next we will go to The Roses in Brisbane and then the Oaks,” Messara said. “She’s just better the further they go.”

Gentileschi was wound in from $41 to $11 for the Queensland Oaks after the Highway win. James Mcdonald was impressed given he thought Gentileschi “was in strife at the 600m”.

“She is very classy,” McDonald said. “She is going to win much better races than that.”

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