Eastender in Cups mission
LAST season’s triple-cups champion Eastender is back in the state and being prepared for another campaign that could include some major cups interstate.
Eastender became the first horse since Brallos (1976) to win the Devonport, Hobart and Launceston cups in the same season, after which he was aimed at the Adelaide Cup. But that campaign sparked a controversial stewards’ inquiry which led to his trainer Barry Campbell being disqualified for two years over a positive swab issue.
Eastender was then dispatched to the care of Chris Waller in Sydney, but after a few starts for that trainer the gelding bled during a race and was stood down from racing for three months.
“Eastender is back home and is in pre-training at Allan Wyllie’s place at Penguin and he will then come to my stable,” current trainer Leanne Gaffney said.
Gaffney’s stable is fresh from a double at Spreyton last Sunday where she scored with Barbie’s Witness and Miss Excess.
“My son Clinton paid only $2500 for Barbie’s Witness and we thought even if she doesn’t do any good on the racetrack she is impeccably bred and would make a nice broodmare,” Gaffney said.
Miss Excess rattled home to win a benchmark 60 handicap over 1150m at her first start in almost two years.
Miss Excess is owned by former Victorian trainer Rex Harrison who bred the mare and nursed her back to health after breaking down soon after she won a maiden at Wangaratta in early September, 2018.
“Miss Excess arrived at my stables over six months ago and she was ready to race just when we were shut down,” Gaffney said. “Her owner had spoken to Craig Newitt in Melbourne and he asked him who he should send the mare to, and he recommended my stable, so it’s thanks to Craig that she ended up with us.
“The mare had broken down, but Mr Harrison rehabilitated her and did a marvellous job over a period of about 16 months. The way she ran today I’d say she is going to be a very good acquisition to the stable.”