Consistent country-bred galloper Laurel Hill delivered Canberra trainer Rob Potter and rising star Siena Grima a popular victory at Randwick on Friday evening.
Racing on the Kensington course, Laurel Hill ($4.40) stormed from last to win the 1250m Benchmark 64 Handicap, the sixth of her 42-start career.
A terrific result for connections, Laurel Hill’s earnings have now crept up over $236,000.
“It was a good win coming from where she did, and the thing is, she went dead straight,” Potter told Country Punter..
“She’s been racing well, and to win back-to-back races with her is great.”
Home-bred by Andy and Sue Groves of Tumut, Laurel Hill is by Smart Missile out of Premier’s Gift, who herself was a four-time winner, bred and raced by the Groves family.
A consistent country-bred lineage, Premier’s Gift is by Snippetson out of five-time winner Miss Johann – another successful Groves-family galloper, winning five races,
A consistent mare herself, Laurel Hill showed promise from her first preparation with Tumut trainer Kerry Weir, winning at her fourth start for Quayde Krogh at Wagga over the 1065m, which was preceded by three consecutive placings.
Two wins into her career, Laurel Hill took on the 2024 Southern Districts Racing Association Country Championships qualifier at Albury in February 2024, demonstrating that connections held a strong opinion of her ability.
A move to the Rob Potter stable yielded an early win, with the Canberra-trained galloper racing well for Damon Budler when triumphing first-up for her new yard in a 1200m Class Two Handicap at Narrandera in July 2024.
Following that effort, two starts later, Budler and Laurel Hill won the South Coast Cup at Moruya in August 2024.
Then followed a frustrating run of placings for followers, with Laurel Hill racing a further 19 times and recording 12 minor placings.
A picture of consistency, she won her first race in 15 months when taking on the 1400m Benchmark 68 Handicap at Newcastle on November 20.
Dylan Gibbons was in the saddle, and after being specked at odds ($11 into $9.50), Laurel Hill edged home for a thrilling victory.
Backing up at Randwick on December 5, Potter weaved his magic, getting Laurel Hill to win back-to-back races for the first time in her career as she stormed from last to triumph in the 1250m Benchmark 64 Handicap.
“Every one of those runs, even when she was getting beaten, she was putting in and hitting the line,” Potter said.
“It’s funny, but she won’t go at Canberra, which is her home track, so she is obviously a mare that wants to travel, and she’s racing really well.”
Potter suggested that he had worked out the secret to Laurel Hill’s recent success.
“The biggest turnaround is the changing of her work pattern and backing off a bit,” Potter said.
“We don’t gallop her at all, and we’ve increased her feed; we have played around with some things, and it’s working.”
Despite being 11 runs into her current preparation, Potter said Laurel Hill will be given a chance to land a Saturday win, with races in mind at upcoming meetings at Royal Randwick.
“She’s as sound as a bell; there’s not one issue with her. She got home at 1 am after her win, and when I checked her at 5 am, the feed bin was empty and turned upside down,” Potter laughed.
“She’s 11 runs in this time, and there are no signs she’s willing to throw the towel in, and while she is in form and happy, we’ll keep her racing.
“There’s some rain coming, and I’ll nominate her for Saturday, and the thing is, she might even be getting better, with a Saturday win not beyond her.”
Laurel Hill wasn’t the only Canberra-trained winner at Randwick on Friday, with the Todd Smart-trained Off The Press winning the 1250m Benchmark 64 Handicap.
Ridden by Braith Knock, the 5YO Press Statement gelding found the line in the nick of time to land a thrilling victory for connections.
