Toby Edmonds has sights on second Stradbroke after his ‘Claytons' triumph during Covid pandemic
Toby Edmonds calls his 2020 win in Queensland's biggest race 'The Claytons Stradbroke' and says it felt 'a bit morbid' scoring his greatest triumph during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Queensland winter carnival that year was almost unrecognisable due to sweeping safety restrictions and Eagle Farm was like a ghost town when Edmonds and his son Trent scored their first Group 1 with Tyzone.
Only two Sydney jockeys were riding in the 2020 Stradbroke which was that year slashed from $1.5m to $350,000 in prizemoney.
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Fast forward five years and Toby Edmonds, now in training partnership with Stephen McLean, said it will be an entirely different feeling if flying filly and bargain buy Spicy Martini can win Queensland's best race which is now worth $3m.
'It was a bit morbid to be honest when Trent and I won in 2020 and we called it the Claytons Stradbroke because they crunched the prizemoney right down,' Toby Edmonds said.
'We ran second the year before with Tyzone and he won a similar amount that year to what he did for winning in 2020.
'Some people would say there's a little asterisk next to it (the 2020 Stradbroke) but the field was still competitive.
'And it was a Group 1 next to my name which was what I always wanted.
'But there is no doubt that this one on Saturday will be bigger if we win.
'It would be similar to a cricketer like Steve Smith or Ricky Ponting scoring a hundred, to win a big Group 1, it's like the grand final for a trainer like me.'
Trent Edmonds is chasing another Stradbroke victory on Saturday with three-year-old filly Spicy Martini. Picture: Trackside Photography
• Trainer reveals JJ Atkins contender was 'flying blind' in lead-up
Spicy Martini is a daughter of US champion Justify who was purchased by Edmonds for the barely believable price of $8000 as a yearling.
The filly who 'walks like a duck' surged into the Stradbroke Handicap field when scoring a golden ticket by winning the Fred Best Classic and gets into the Stradbroke with a featherweight.
Gold Coast trainer Edmonds is a student of racing history and has always enthused about the prospect of qualifying a three-year-old filly for the Stradbroke.
In total, there have been 12 three-year-old fillies who have won the Stradbroke, including Stefi Magnetica last year.
Others in the last 40 years are La Montagna (2006), Private Steer (2003), Dane Ripper (1997) and Canterbury Belle (1985).
'I just like the profile of three-year-old fillies in this race,' Edmonds said.
'Stefi Magnetica won it last year and then you go back and look at the likes of La Montagna and Private Steer.
• 'I won't be backing him': Owner questions Stradbroke favourite's odds
'I'm a big student of history, it's there and its pretty simple to look up.
'I have followed form for 30 years and it's always been a passion of mine.
'I have always thought a three-year-old filly in a Stradbroke with no weight, if she is any good, could figure in the finish.
'Whether Spicy Martini is good enough or not, we are not sure, but she is certainly a game filly and I think they will know she is in the race.
'Some people are saying this isn't a vintage Stradbroke, but whether it is or it isn't doesn't matter, they are all difficult to win.'
Edmonds will take his customary position at Eagle Farm on Saturday, watching the races by himself and away from others.
It's how he likes it, 'so I don't have anyone annoying me while I'm watching a race'.
• Grounded Corey flying high ahead of dream Group 1 bid
Spicy Martini went through an online sale and was sold at a bargain-basement rate because of concerns over her X-rays, despite being a daughter of Justify.
It was a gamble that has paid off in sensational fashion.
'Anyone could have bought her really, someone might have went to $8500 and we might not have bought her,' Edmonds said.
'But we might have kept going, we actually hadn't seen her but we thought a Justify filly, regardless of what she looked like, was worth a shot at that price.
'We did speak to Coolmore and they shared the information they had on her.
'But it was really a throw at the stumps to be honest.'
Spicy Martini has drawn barrier four and is a $31 chance.
Originally published as Toby Edmonds has sights on second Stradbroke Handicap after his 'Claytons' triumph during Covid pandemic
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mercury
8 hours ago
- Mercury
$51 roughie Investment shocks rivals at Randwick but trainer Joe Pride gave her a ‘sneaky chance'
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Investment was a genuine roughie starting at $51 but trainer Joe Pride gave the mare a 'sneaky chance' before she caused a huge boilover at Royal Randwick on Saturday. The four-year-old was her sire So You Think's third winner of the day, following on from Glad You Think So and Oh Diamond Lil, when taking out the TAB F&M Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m). 'I thought she could improve a bit today. I said to a few people she had a sneaky chance,' Pride said. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'She was fitter, she looked really healthy and a bit of cut in the ground were all pointers to a better performance.' Pride rated Andrew Atkins steer aboard Investment as a '10 out of 10 ride' praising the jockey's boldness during the middle stages of the race as the key to victory. 'Plan A was to be midfield or forward but that was short lived as there was quite a bit of pressure early but she adapted to Plan B which was to get back and let her settle,' Adkins said. 'I thought if I could make a move at a point of the race when they were not making ground it would be to her advantage and that point was at about the 600m when I got on my bike and my the time we got into the straight I'd passed half of the field and we had a bit of momentum up. 'I was able to idle up, she was more than willing to do it and it saved us about five lengths. 'In the straight she really wanted to do it, she tried really hard and we just got the better of the other horse late in the piece.' • 'Very exciting' Glorious Moments can end trainers' black-type wait Investment ($51) defeated the Brad Widdup-trained Hasty Honey ($10) by a long head with Nana's Wish ($5.50) three-and-a-quarter lengths back in third. Pride has no ambitious plans lined up for Investment this preparation but he hopes the mare can continue to strengthen and improve over the next year and when winter roles around again in 2026, he may have his sights on bigger targets. 'She's always been a reasonably promising staying type of mare so it's nice to get a Saturday win with her,' he said. 'You'll see her at her best over 2400 metres and this was only her 18th start so I still don't think we've seen the best of her. 'Maybe this time next year is when she'll be at the absolute top of her game. 'While ever the tracks remain wet, she should continue to race well now as she appreciates these types of track.' The $2.60 favourite in the race She's Unusual struggled in the testing conditions, one of the first runners beaten when weakening in the straight to finish seventh. Originally published as Trainer Joe Pride's faith in Investment was rewarded as $51 outsider claims victory at Randwick
Herald Sun
11 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Bridal Waltz does it again with Bletchingly Stakes triumph as Peter Moody aims higher
Bridal Waltz could step into spring now after a Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) win at Caulfield. The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained favourite defied a late challenge from backmarker Kin to get the result from gallant Yellow Sam. Second-elect New York Lustre finished off late to run fourth. Drama ensued an hour before the Bletchingly, with Baraqiel, the pre-race favourite, scratched on vet advice. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet IQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Racing Victoria vets deemed the comeback sprinter lame in the near foreleg upon inspection. Moody, who won back-to-back Bletchingly Stakes in 2011-12 with Mid Summer Music and Ready To Rip, was pleased to get the result with Bridal Waltz. Bridal Waltz won the Listed Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington last start, her main winter target, but did so well post Moody and Coleman tried the Bletchingly. 'I thought her last couple of runs, she probably goes for a spell, but we'll probably take her home and rinse and repeat, take her down the beach and assess her,' Moody said. 'It'd be nice to lift the bar a little bit … do we find a mares' Group 2 now we're a Group 3 winner or have a few weeks off and come back to Flemington in November? 'Chase a stakes race there away from the A-graders, you never know, she might become an A-grader one day the way she's going.' Bridal Waltz stalked leader and reigning Bletchingly winner Recommendation and let down strongly. 'I was very pleased with where she was in the run,' Moody said. 'Recommendation took her to the right part of the track and carted her well up the straight. 'Good tough effort … we have spaced her runs all the way through, she looks like a hairy little goat. 'She spends most of her time outdoors and down at the beach … in the cold most of it, holds a lot of hair, so she's not overly attracted in the yard but she enjoys that little gap three or four weeks.' Co-trainer Katherine Coleman with Bridal Waltz after the win. Picture: Getty Images Jockey Ben Melham enjoyed a second win on Bridal Waltz and managed to dictate tempo albeit from behind the leader. 'Initially I thought he was going to go a little bit slower than I would've liked, I stayed out there and forced him to come up inside me and go the tempo I wanted him to go basically,' Melham said. 'It worked well for us, he got going before the corner … she certainly hasn't gone backwards from that (Creswick Stakes). 'The key to her is not to go too slow, she can actually sustain good gallop and good sectionals and hold it right through the line.' Godolphin were denied a fairytale Melbourne swan song with Kin best of three starters for James Cummings in the Bletchingly. Kin snagged back to last from a wide barrier and burst through late to grab second. Inhibitions and Kallos, also trained by Cummings, were unplaced. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Windstorm ends 1750-day drought - Brad Waters Victoria was in the grip of Daniel Andrews' enforced COVID-19 lockdowns the last time Windstorm won a race. The former Perth galloper won the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes at Caulfield in October 2020, indicating he was a top-class performer in the making. Few, including previous owner Bob Peters, would have known that would be Windstorm's last win for 1750 days. Peters moved on Windstorm after a few more injury-plagued years but the imposing galloper finally saluted at the 15th attempt for Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood in the Sportsbet More Places Handicap (1400m). Jockey Luke Cartwright brought the gelding from last as the $41 chance shattered many quaddies when the pair saluted by a length. Bedggood said Windstorm had drawn some unwarranted criticism during his long winless period. 'I feel sorry for the horse because people along the way called him a 'nonny' (non-winner) and a cheat and it's not the case,' Bedggood said. 'It's taken a while to figure him out. 'I've wanted to put blinkers on him for the last six months but they haven't been the right races. 'Maybe he doesn't run much past this, a good speed over 1400m, and his three wins have been over that trip. 'We'll try to replicate that type of race going forward.' Windstorm completed a long-priced double for Bedggood after Behaviour won earlier in the day at $16. Originally published as Bridal Waltz does it again with Bletchingly Stakes triumph
Herald Sun
11 hours ago
- Herald Sun
NRL news: Jahrome Hughes forced to miss Cameron Munster's father's funeral after horror shoulder injury
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Melbourne star Jahrome Hughes was heartbreakingly forced to miss the funeral of his close friend and teammate Cameron Munster's father because he was not allowed to travel after picking up a shoulder injury on Thursday night. Hughes left the field just minutes into the second half of Melbourne's gutsy 34-30 win over the Roosters with the club confirming immediately that he'd dislocated his shoulder after landing awkwardly while making a tackle on James Tedesco. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. The reigning Dally M Medal winner was in agony and had to be helped off Allianz Stadium, with Melbourne's medical staff unable to put it back in, and he was sent to the hospital needing extreme pain medication. Hughes made it back to the team hotel in the early hours of Friday morning and luckily escaped needing surgery, but will miss around six weeks of action. Jahrome Hughes was forced to miss Cameron Munster's father's funeral. Image: Getty But the hammer blow came in the early hours of Friday morning when Hughes was informed the injury meant he wasn't clear to fly to Queensland to be by Munster's side as he bid farewell to his father Steve. The Maroons star didn't play on Thursday night because it would have been too difficult to get back to Queensland for the funeral on Friday. However, some players and staff caught a flight up to Rockhampton at 6am on Friday so they could attend the funeral. Cameron Munster bravely led the Maroons to Origin glory days after his father Steve passed away. Photo: NRL Photos Hughes originally planned to be on that flight, however, Melbourne chief Frank Ponissi said the Kiwi wasn't cleared to fly due to his shoulder. 'He said Jahrome got back to the hotel last night. They finally put the shoulder back in place in the hospital without too many issues,' journalist Andrew Webster told SEN, reading out Ponissi's text message to him. 'At this stage, it is very difficult to assess, although the initial scans show nothing too sinister. He was coming up to Munster's father's funeral this morning with a few of us, but instead will now head straight back to Melbourne with the team, where they will assess him.' Steve Munster died on the eve of State of Origin 3, and Cameron bravely played just days later, lifting the Maroons to a memorable series win. – with NewsWire Originally published as Jahrome Hughes forced to miss Cameron Munster's father's funeral after horror shoulder injury
