Headwater sprinter Be Water My Friend went back-to-back at Doomben on Saturday with another explosive victory for Symphony Lodge trainer Matthew Park.
He let down from last on the corner to overhaul the leaders in the final stages of the XXXX Dry Plate (1050m). “He was my first Saturday city winner here last month and just trains himself,” Park said. “He’s a light horse and when his weight drops, we back off. When it goes up, we give him a gallop.”
Park and his wife Alison have made several gear changes for Be Water My Friend, including the removal of a nose-roll and barrier blanket, since he transferred to their Oakey property earlier this year.
“He was going to win a long way out and I think Matty has found a good one,” jockey Mark Du Plessis declared. “He’s ironed out a few problems and this horse is best ridden where he wants to be. He has a devastating turn of foot and there’s definitely a nice race in him.”
Be Water My Friend is a first-crop son of Vinery sire Headwater and was bred by Gainsborough Lodge. His dam Whisper Of Hearts (Duporth) was unraced but her older half-brother Traitor (Mossman) won the 2014 Phar Lap Stakes Gr.2 for Team Hawkes at his sixth and final start.
Headwater’s other Saturday city winner was the Jordan Frew-trained mare Headphones in the Vale Ken Smith Hcp (1400m) at Murray Bridge. She sprinted clear for Jason Benbow at the top of the straight and held on by a half-head over Montepulciano (All Too Hard).
Headphones was winning for the first time in 10 starts for Frew, however, she had run five placings since arriving from Victoria. “She’s fighting tough,” he said. “And it was a much-deserved win on her home track.”
Frew has fond memories of her dam Cybercyn (Staaraq) who was trained by his parents Kevin and Heather. As an apprentice, he stunned punters when booting her home in the 2011 Colin Hayes Memorial Cup (LR, 1600m) at 200/1.
Headphones was bred by Philip Bennett and Steph Bansemer-Brown and they sent Cybercyn to So You Think (NZ) last year.
Headwater’s star mare Jamaea returned to racing with a fast-finishing second in the Toy Show Quality (Gr.3, 1100m) at Randwick on Saturday. The run was even better than it looked at first glance after Tommy Berry reported his mount was awkward in its action in the early stages.
“I felt it was due to Jamaea striking herself,” Berry told stewards. “She settled further back in the field than I anticipated and did not commence to travel satisfactorily until near the 800m.”
Headwater (Exceed And Excel) will parade at Vinery Stud’s Open Days next Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28 starting at 8.30am. RSVP is essential. Email: mckoy@vinery.com.au
Vinery stands Headwater for a $16,500 (inc GST) service fee. For bookings or further information, please contact Adam White (0414 800 918) or Harry Roach (0401 970 006).
