Latest news with #Warrnambool
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Young trainer Angus Townley out to follow late master Robbie Laing lessons with Latin Lover
Lessons learned from the deeds of the late training genius Robbie Laing could form the base of an amazing win at Sandown on Wednesday. Laing, who died suddenly last month, famously won the 2009 Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool with Sir Pentire after nursing the gelding through an injury-enforced absence of two years. Young trainer Angus Townley has spent countless hours applying the lessons learned when working for Laing when getting former UK sprinter Latin Lover back to the races. 'I learned to train from Robbie Laing and he said to me, 'if you're going to rehab a tendon horse, make sure it's at least a group horse',' the Pakenham -based Townley said. 'I only need to get him (Latin Lover) to win over 1000m at Flemington. Robbie got his horse to win over 5000m and that's amazing. 'I've got an interest in soft tissue injuries so I'm interested in getting them back to the races.' Latin Lover showed a dash of class when winning three of 11 starts in England, including beating 26 rivals in a Rating 105 sprint during the 2022 Royal Ascot carnival at his last start. The sprinter was subsequently sold for 210,000 guineas (approx. $452,000) at a tried horse sale before he was sent to Hong Kong to continue his career. However, the son of Caulfield Guineas winner Starspangledbanner never raced in Hong Kong before landing in Australia to be trained by Clinton McDonald. But luck again deserted Latin Lover, leading to Townley taking over his training. 'When he was purchased, he went via Hong Kong and did a tendon over there,' Townley said. 'I believe he was rehabbed there before he came out here but he did his other tendon when he was at Clinton's. 'When I got him a year ago, he'd had two bowed tendons. 'He was a very up in the air thing, he had sarcoids on his stomach, which is sort of like a cancer thing so we had to have those lasered off.' • Brad Waters' Monday Racebook: Horses to follow from Caulfield on Saturday Rehabilitating tendon injuries is a time consuming exercise, requiring enormous amounts of patience while horses slowly regain strength and fitness. Townley said he has not given Latin Lover much work on the track, preferring lower impact methods to get the sprinter fit to resume in Wednesday's MRC Membership Feel The Thrill Handicap (1000m). 'We rehabbed him and gave him plenty of time off,' Townley said. 'We ran him out in a seven-acre paddock with our mares for six months at one point. 'We brought him in, rehabbed him, water walked him and all that stuff but he's never taken a backward step. • 'She's left a big footprint': 20 years on, Boss and the Diva still inspire a nation 'I pretty much hand-walked him at the track for over six weeks and had him in the pool and on the water walker, then we gave him another spell. 'We brought him back in but we've hardly worked this horse on the track. 'We just went the traditional way of training with lots of long, slow work like he would have had at Newmarket or wherever he was trained in England. 'We've given him two jumpouts and maybe three hard gallops.' Latin Lover has won two jumpouts in the lead-up to his racing return, the last of which was in ground Townley described as 'bottomless' at Pakenham on July 1. The six-year-old is an $18 chance to score at his Australian debut. But Townley was unsure how his charge would perform at his first run for 1122 days. 'It's been three years since he's raced so he's entitled to be a bit ring rusty first-up but I think he'll still put in a nice performance,' Townley said. 'I'm expecting a big run on Wednesday but if he could go there and win, he'd be doing it on class alone, not fitness. 'Getting a metropolitan win with this horse would definitely be a feather in the cap.'
NZ Herald
12-07-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Words of warning as superstar steeplechaser West Coast returns
'It is his first steeplechase this time in and while he is ready for it, it will also bring him on,' says Oulaghan. 'I wouldn't be that disappointed if he was beaten because he will improve and hopefully this will get him fitter for Riccarton.' West Coast's campaign started in a low when he was pulled up in the Manawatu Hurdle last month and while it was a race he was never going to win, it was a worrying sign. 'He actually wasn't working that well heading into that race,' admits Oulaghan. 'He also had an off day but he has improved in his training since and while he ran second-last in his flat race last start, I was a lot happier with him. 'So he is heading in the right direction but he could be vulnerable this weekend.' The problem for those not wanting to take the risk on the giant jumper is finding one to beat him in the steeplechase, which lacks top-end depth. That isn't the case in the hurdle, where Berry The Cash has to lump 73kg against a host of major-race winners. He has raced at the huge Warrnambool carnival this campaign, so carried residual fitness to Ōtaki on Tuesday, where he finished third on the flat. 'He is just a really good horse and is probably more ready for Sunday than West Coast but he faces a better field.' Berry The Cash has had an exceptional last two years but has rarely met a field as deep as today's and that, coupled with his 73kg – which will sit heavier on him than West Coast as he is a smaller horse – make it hard to back him with confidence. Unlike the steeplechase, there are plenty of viable options for punters willing to bet against Berry The Cash, from reigning Great Northern winner Lord Spencer to Happy Star, Taika and the in-form Squire. Today's meeting is a winter wonderland for jumps fans, with three hurdle races to start the card, two steeplechases in the middle and the four flat races all being highweights, including one for amateurs, meaning the flat jockeys get to have a day off. * The Egmont meeting at Hāwera, which was abandoned on Saturday because of heavy rain, will now be held on Tuesday. Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald's Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world's biggest horse racing carnivals.
News.com.au
09-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Determined apprentice Sarah Field has city milestone and Rising Stars Series success in her sights
Resilience is a requirement for all jockeys but Sarah Field has needed more than most. A dream debut win and broken leg would bookend her first six months in the saddle. The setback last year followed four unsuccessful attempts to become a Racing Victoria apprentice. Field, now on the verge of two career milestones, the coveted RMBL Investments Rising Stars Series win and a metropolitan debut, is determined to make up for the lost time. Four apprentice jockeys, including Field, could overhaul Rising Stars Series leader Tom Prebble, unavailable on Thursday at Ballarat due to suspension, with victory in the 1000m Benchmark 64. Prebble is stranded on 42 points with only the final to come at Flemington on June 19. Field (39 points), Stephanie Hateley (37), Logan Bates (34), reigning Rising Stars Series winner Luke Cartwright (32) could reshape the leaderboard on Thursday. Rose Hammond (28 points) would also climb into contention with a win at Ballarat. Points are awarded for top five finishers on a 12-6-4-2-1 sliding scale. Field has favourite Rivkin in the race at Ballarat for Warrnambool trainer Patrick Ryan Jr. 'It's a great series and very grateful to be a part of it,' Field said. 'It's very close, anyone could win it.' Third-year apprentice Field has ridden 43 winners including seven in the past month. The 27-year-old used early adversity as motivation. 'I've been knocked back a lot of times and I've had to pick myself back up,' Field said. 'I would've liked to start a bit earlier (apprenticeship) but it's worked out anyway. 'I've ridden horses for a long time, I'm a little bit older than some of the apprentices. 'I'm ready to go to town now, I've been ready for a little bit but I wanted everything to be going smoothly and wanted to be 100 per cent ready when I went.' Field could make her metropolitan debut in the Rising Stars Final at Flemington.
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
What $1.5m buys in Warrnambool with ocean views
A sweeping rural-meets-ocean view and a grand glass staircase have made Warrnambool's 'big white house on the hill' one of the region's most talked-about homes. Built by respected local builder Paul Butters, the four-bedroom home at 23 Hyland St combines bold architecture, luxe finishes and knockout views, all just a few blocks from the CBD. Harris & Wood's Josh Bermingham said he's had buyers from out of the area ask if the home was really in Warrnambool. 'It's close enough to walk into town, but elevated enough to enjoy panoramic views from paddocks to the ocean,' Mr Bermingham said. 'You simply don't expect that combination here, especially at this price.' Listed with a $1.45m-$1.55m price hopes, the near-new home delivers a level of design and quality Mr Bermingham said would cost millions more in towns like Torquay, Ocean Grove or Lorne. 'If you lifted this house and placed it in one of those towns, you'd easily be adding another zero to the asking price,' he said. Spread across two levels, the home is centred around a soaring entry void with a statement glass and timber staircase. Upstairs, a wall of windows floods the living and dining zone with natural light, anchored by a floor-to-ceiling stacked stone fireplace. The kitchen finished with sleek gold tapware, quality appliances and a walk-in butler's pantry connects seamlessly to an elevated deck with rural outlooks and glimpses of the ocean. The main suite includes a private balcony, walk-in robe and large ensuite with warm, layered textures. A second bedroom and powder room complete the upper level. Downstairs, two further bedrooms, a family bathroom, second living zone and full laundry offer flexibility for growing families or guests. Stacker doors open to an undercover alfresco and sun-drenched deck overlooking a landscaped firepit zone, designed for year-round entertaining. There's also a large garage and workshop under the home, plus side access for additional vehicles or trailers. Mr Bermingham said other inclusions in the home such as double-glazed windows, a solar system, ducted reverse-cycle heating and cooling, electric blinds and lift-ready design, make the home energy-efficient and futureproof. 'The layout, quality and comfort make it a perfect long-term home,' he said. The Harris & Wood agent said sellers Hayley and her partner Brad built the home as a personal project. Though originally planned as a forever home, the pair are now ready for their next creative chapter. 'They've built and sold a few times and just love the process,' Mr Bermingham said. 'Now that this one's finished, they're excited to take on the next project.' He said interest had come from both locals and Melbourne buyers, with the home's design, location and liveability striking a chord. 'There's been a really strong response,' he said. 'People are captivated by the quality, and once they step inside, they get it.' 'We actually struggled to find comparables because homes like this are built to be lived in, not sold. If this comes back on the market in under 10 years, I'll be shocked.'
SBS Australia
06-07-2025
- General
- SBS Australia
Jessica regrets not allowing her mother to be a part of her children's lives
If you spend more time cursing a family member than enjoying time with them, should you sever that relationship? Insight looks at what drives us to cut ties and asks if it's always a good idea. Watch episode Cutting Ties Tuesday 8 July on SBS at 8.30PM or live on SBS On Demand . Jessica is devastated she will never be able to reconcile with her mother. Her parents split when Jessica was three years old. She grew up in her father's care but also spent time with her mother, who lived with schizophrenia . "I always knew that my life was different than my friends' lives, because their mum didn't think they were Jesus. "Their mum didn't think that the government were going to come and kill her." At 17, Jessica started living with her mother full-time. They lived at a boarding house and spent time in transitional housing, before they eventually moved into public housing . Jessica says her mother threatened her family when she was in her late twenties. "I didn't want my children to think that a cycle of abuse is normal, and I wanted to be that person to break that cycle," she said. Jessica decided it was time to take legal action. "Initially, I got a five-year intervention order and moved to Warrnambool — three hours from Melbourne — so that I could be in a different jurisdiction to take out an intervention order, so she wouldn't find out where I was." Although she considered it necessary, Jessica feels guilt and embarrassment about the decision — and now questions whether it was the right thing to do. A chance reunion Kathryn was estranged from her father for 15 years. Her parents divorced when she was about nine; she and her brother would split their week between their parents' two houses in the same country town for the next three years. When she was 12, Kathryn wanted to live with her dad full-time, but Kathryn says he didn't want that. She feels this rejection and other childhood trauma had long-lasting impacts on her mental health. "I was terrified of seeing him. I had a hard time being out in public and pretty strong social anxiety. I lived in fear of seeing him, basically," she said. Kathryn moved to Melbourne when she was 17. On a trip home to visit her mum when Kathryn was 27, her worst fears were realised. "I'd missed a train, so I just went to the pub to grab a beer because I had to wait for an hour for another one ... And he was there, with a beer as well." It was the first time she'd had any contact with him in 15 years. "The picture I had in my mind [of him] was something so different to what I saw in front of me," Kathryn said. "I saw someone who seemed sad and lost ... just a bloke at the pub, having a beer." The two sat down and chatted for the next hour. They exchanged phone numbers. "It was difficult, but it was almost a relief because he wasn't the monster I had imagined," Kathryn said. 'I would have been five feet under' When Jennifer made the decision to come out as a trans woman, she didn't understand what she stood to lose. "I think I'm quite an intelligent person, but it was naïve," Jennifer said. Married for 40 years, Jennifer and her wife have three adult sons. She says that the relationship with her family deteriorated and contact with them ceased. Jennifer says her relationship with several family members deteriorated when she came out as trans. She says that, although coming out had the consequences it did, she needed to do it. "If I had not have done it, I would have been five feet under," Jennifer said. Mending severed ties Jennifer says that, after six years of silence, one of her sons phoned her one day, which led to them rebuilding their relationship. "I'm now very close with him and his two daughters," Jennifer told Insight. "I think getting that phone call and going out for that meal — reconnecting and getting together with my two beautiful granddaughters — is the best thing that could have happened. "And I love all my three boys and grandchildren. And not being able to have contact with them breaks my heart ... The same with my wife." Like Jennifer, Kathryn has also had a partial reconciliation with a family member with whom ties were once severed. Since that chance meeting in a pub after missing the train, Kathryn and her father have maintained an ongoing relationship. "I decided to stay in touch," Kathryn said. However, she says that maintaining strong boundaries with her dad is critical for her. They occasionally text and see each other once or twice a year. "When I see him, I remember that once upon a time, he was my dad who loved me. I loved him. "I think we still do love each other. And it's not so scary anymore." Living with regret Jessica never had the opportunity to reconcile with her mother. When the five-year intervention order she took out against her mother expired, they tried to mend their relationship. But it soon soured. "She began using drugs like cocaine. Her behaviour became extremely erratic and aggressive again," Jess said. She decided it was necessary to take out another intervention order, which was granted. Jessica and her late mother. Source: Supplied Last year, Jessica's mother died from a combination of mixed drug toxicity and alcohol. Jessica feels a sense of responsibility and has unanswered questions. She questions if her mother would be dead had they reconciled successfully. "Would she have felt that need in her life — to be that excessive — if I was there, and if her grandchildren were there? "Honestly, I think she would be alive still if I was in her life. And I think that's the part that I regret."
