Australian Hurdle/Steeplechase Race Day (Sandown Lakeside) – May 23rd

Samson Handicap

(BM70 Handicap - 1200m)

Post Race Details & Comments

Winning Horse: Contalmaison (AUS)

4yoG Rubick (Aus) - La Boisselle (Aus)(Danehill (USA))
14 starts - 5 wins 4 seconds 1 fourth $121070

Other Wins
1st Sale Ladbroke It (Bm64) 1110m (2021)
1st Pakenham Consolidated Chemical (Bm64) 1200m (2021)
1st Newcastle Rarity Wholesale (Bm64) 900m (2020)
1st Taree Manning River Times Mdn Plate 1000m (2019)

Race Result:

1st: Contalmaison (C Weller/J Richards) - $26

2nd: Free To Move (K & K Keys/C Williams) - $8.50
3rd: Fiery Red (Waterhouse & Bott/W Price) - $6

Winning Time: 1:11.95  Last 600m: N/A

Margins: 1¼L x Head

Winning Trainer: Cheryl Weller

“Fantastic. I’m surprised he’s kept stepping up the way he has. We bought him very cheaply online. He was a kick out horse, basically. He’d had a bleed before we got him, he’s go joint issues but he’s kept stepping up.

“He lives on the beach and that has kept him sound. He just seems to be loving life as well. He loves the paddock and kept on improving.”

On Cheryl: “I’ve been here about eight or so years now, from England. I trained jumpers in England and spent eight years or so in New Zealand but came here to get my residency initially and never been back since.

“I just train a very small team at Balnarring and do a lot of pre-training and beach work for Archie Alexander and Mick Kent. Very small but we’ve got two or three runners.

Jumpers again in the future: “Possibly. I’ve had a lot of sprinters since I started doing the flat but possibly in time. Happy to get the wins for now.”

Winning Jockey: Josh Richards

<First metro winner for Richards and nearly four years since his first ride, at Leeton>

“Coming to the corner I gave him his head but it probably wasn’t until I squeezed him up and asked him that he really picked up and found the line well.

“He feels great, they’ve done a great job with him. Amazing. He was fantastic.

“I’m getting really great support and getting great rides. My manager Phillip Roost is doing a great job, supporting Mick Kent, and big stables.”