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It's spring and not autumn, but a talented mare still showed her “colours” at Newcastle on Tuesday.
Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup won his 12th race of the season when hotpot Autumn Of Colours ($1.30) made short work of her opposition in the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1350m).
She cleared out over the closing stages to easily defeat a pair of $61 outsiders, Avoid Me and fellow Hawkesbury trainer Peter Green's Spanish Fighter.
Despite the easy of the four-year-old's victory by more than three lengths, Widdup considers next autumn will see the best of her.
"There's no doubt she definitely has ability, but needs to get stronger," he said today.
"Autumn Of Colours is eating better as she gets into her preparation, and I'm hoping to get four or five runs out of her this time.
"But I feel next autumn will really be her time.
"Our apprentice Zac Wadick gave her a very sensible ride at Newcastle, and it was good to see her win in the manner she did."
Autumn Of Colours is a daughter of The Autumn Sun and Lonhro mare Kennocha, who won five races from 15 starts in Perth.
She is Kennocha's third foal, and fetched $380,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast.
"There was a lot of money around at that sale, and you had to pay plenty to get a good one," Widdup said.
"I'm not sure at this stage where we will go next, but there is a 1500m race in a few weeks.
"We'll be guided by her progress."
Autumn Of Colours wasn't the only short-priced favorite from Hawkesbury to score at Newcastle.
Royal Randwick trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton clinched their first win of the new season from their second stable at Hawkesbury, but Interjection ($1.40) didn't have it as easily as Widdup's mare.
Ridden by Tommy Berry, Interjection had a battle with Firm Agreement ($4.60) before edging home in the Maiden Handicap (1350m).
Berry afterwards said the gelding got "a bit lost" when he took a narrow lead, and would take improvement as that was his first run this preparation.
A $210,000 Inglis Premier yearling in Melbourne in 2023, Interjection is a three-year-old son of Too Darn Hot, and was placed at two of three starts at his first campaign.
. The Hawkesbury double took to 20 the number of winners prepared by the local training base in just over the first month of the new season.
