Chasing unprecedented clean sweeps

HIGH quality youngsters Don Hunter and Comeandsee will begin their bids for an unprecedented New South Wales Breeders' Challenge clean sweep at Club Menangle today.

Both recently dominated the main division of the futurity, winning their respective heats, semi-finals and Finals at the world class venue.

The $150,000 Group One Finals were conducted on October 31, with Don Hunter too good among the colts and geldings, while Comeandsee was a cut above the fillies.

This time around Don Hunter and Comeandsee will contest the Breeders' Challenge Blue category, which begins with today's heats.

The two divisions have been run simultaneously since 2014, with no pacer managing to win both Finals.

Club Menangle is programmed to host $100,000 Blue Finals as part of its phenomenal November 21 meeting, which includes the $1.5million The Eureka slot race.

Comeandsee is set to be the first of the pair in action, with the daughter of Cattlewash drawn the pole in the second fillies' heat.

Pleased with the two-year-old's progress, Victorian trainer Emma Stewart is positive Comeandsee can stretch her perfect record to four since returning from a spell.

"She has come through the Final in terrific order," Stewart said. "She had a couple of easy days after it and is jumping out of her skin.

"She's drawn perfectly and will be extremely hard to beat."

Winner of her heat and semi before finishing third in the Final, Birdsong is a clear favourite in the opening qualifier from barrier five for local trainer KerryAnn Morris.

Also drawn five, Don Hunter is engaged in the first 'boys' heat for champion horseman Luke McCarthy.

Joining his dam Miss Halfpenny on the Breeders' Challenge honour roll with his latest victory, Don Hunter boasts an imposing record of seven wins and a third from nine starts.

Trained by Paul Fitzpatrick, Miss Halfpenny captured the 2018 Breeders' Challenge Final for two-year-old fillies at Club Menangle.

Miss Halfpenny's half-sister Anntonia won the 2021 Three-Year-Old Final Breeders' Challenge at Club Menangle in an Australasian record 1:49.8.

Scoring first-up from a break at Club Menangle on October 27, talented freshman Warrawee Way Back is the one to beat in the second heat despite drawing awkwardly in eight over the 1609-metre sprint.

Prepared by astute trainer Simon Bigeni, Warrawee Way Back secured the $50,000 Nutrien Gold Crown Graduate Sale Final in Bathurst on August 26 before being sent for a freshen-up.

To be driven by Bigeni's son Jake, Warrawee Way Back has won four of his six starts, including a 1:53.4 effort during his latest outing.

Three-year-old heats will also be run, with Victorian raider Rocknroll Willow an interesting entrant in the first fillies' event.

Successful during six of her eight starts for the season, Rockroll Willow will be first-up since her Tasmania Oaks win on August 16.