SUNDAY: February 9, 2025: BRAD Widdup rung up 40 victories for the season at Kembla Grange yesterday as he nears a career milestone 400.
And Hawkesbury’s leading trainer did it with a beautifully-bred overseas mare who could easily have been retired as a broodmare without ever racing.
Sunset Park, a four-year-old daughter of champion racehorse and stallion Sea The Stars from an Irish mare (Hand Puppet), won the Maiden Plate (1600m) for four-year-olds and upwards at only her second start.
Sea The Stars in a remarkable three-year-old season in 2009 won six Group 1s; the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby, Eclipse Stakes, International Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamps in France. Ridden by Alysha Collett at Kembla Grange, $2.40 favorite Sunset Park defeated fellow Hawkesbury rival, Jason Attard and Lucy Keegan-Attard’s Irish Anthem ($13).
Sydney businessman Adrian Whittingham, who races Sunset Park under his Cross Park banner, purchased the mare in the UK.
“She was owned by Godolphin, and at the broodmare sale they announced beforehand that she could be purchased to also race before embarking on a breeding career,” Widdup explained today.
“Adrian is a good supporter of mine (he also races last November’s Moonee Valley 2040m winner Piplup, who is back in work at Hawkesbury), and I was delighted to be given her to traijn.”
However, Widdup’s hopes of racing Sunset Park were put on hold after she sustained an injury following her second barrier trial at Rosehill Gardens on July 23 last year.
“Unfortunately she suffered a cut to a leg in the float on the way home that day,” Widdup explained.
“I was really looking forward to getting her to the races, and we had to stop and start again.”
Sunset Park made a belated debut at a midweek Gosford provincial meeting held at Newcastle on January 21.
“That was in a Provincial Maiden Plate (1300m) for four-year-olds and upwards, and I was a bit disappointed she got beat.
“She had a lovely run and looked like winning before Hoo Haa bloused her in the last few strides.
“Stepping up to 1600m at Kembla Grange was more suitable and, given her breeding, I’m sure she will continue to improve as she gets out over further ground.”
Widdup had hoped to clinch a provincial double, but Sunset Park’s stablemate Bella Khadijah was a late withdrawal as favorite for the Class 1 Handicap (1400m).
The filly broke through the starting gates after being loaded, and was taken out of the race after being captured.
“The saddle went right back and she fell over a few times,” Widdup said.
“Fortunately she seems to be okay.
“We’ll never know how she would have gone, but I expected her to be hard to beat coming back from a close fifth on the Kensington track when resuming.”
. Kembla Grange has been Widdup’s second must successful track behind Newcastle since he started training in 2017, and won with his first starter Junglized on Canberra’s Acton track in May that year.
He has prepared 53 winners at Kembla Grange, five less than Newcastle.
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