Sydney trainer Brad Widdup reports Jedibeel is just loving life on the beach in Perth as he prepares for The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot this Saturday.
Jedibeel (Dundeel) is coming off a slashing second in the G1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill after flying home to be beaten in a photo-finish by Mahoona (Snitzel). He’s on the fourth-line of markets at $11 behind equal favourites Caballus and Jigsaw at $3.50 and Rey Magnerio ($6.50).
Widdup warmed up for $5 million slot race with Perth-bred filly Bondi Blossom a brave winner of the Dalton Partners Provincial Hcp (1500m) at Newcastle on Saturday. She was left in front a long way from home but refused to buckle when tackled on her off and near sides by Rose Water (Calyx) and Crathie Kirk (Ole Kirk).
“We tipped her out after she broke her maiden over a mile at Gosford in November and we knew she would be getting further as an autumn 3yo,” the Hawkesbury-based trainer said. “The Perth horses we’ve seen over here have gone really well and she was one of five yearlings we bought at the WA Magic Millions.”
Bondi Blossom is a 3yo daughter of Lynward Park sire Bondi (Snitzel) and competes under the Mulberry Racing banner of billionaire investor Mike Gregg who co-founded Shearwater Capital.
Bred and sold by Lynward Park for $45,000, she is one of seven winners from Sydney-winning mare Devils Arcade (Snowland) who was also black-type placed in Brisbane for Gai Waterhouse. Lynward Park purchased Devils Arcade as a proven producer at the 2019 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale and Bondi Blossom is her penultimate foal.
Talented Bondi 2yo filly Axopar had also prevailed in a threefold finish to the TABtouch Maiden (1200m) Pinjarra on Wednesday under a superb ride by Lucy Fiore. Given the run of the race at her third start, Axopar ranged up to Tigerland (Tiger Of Malay) and Hillside Avenue (Pinatubo) but it wasn’t all plain sailing for the Lynward Park homebred.
Fiore was forced to changed hands with the whip while stewards noted: “Axopar raced greenly in the straight. Bumped and shifted outwards over the concluding stages.”
Trained by Dan Morton for Lynward Park’s van Heemst family, Axopar is the third winner for Outboard Motors (Sebring) who was knocked down for $60,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions National Sale. Her latest foal is a colt by Darley Kelvinside shuttler Harry Angel (Dark Angel).
Her first foal Riva Aquarama (Star Turn) won a Northam maiden earlier this season and the second Niccimota (Nicconi) was a last-start, front-running winner at Belmont for Jim Taylor.