The decision to move back to Sydney and reboot his training career is starting pay dividends for Edward O’Rourke and he can gain further momentum with an exciting debutant at Wyong on Thursday.
Support from owner/breeders has been instrumental in O’Rourke steadily building up stable numbers.
Most of his team are youngsters going through breaking in and educating process with a few older horses to keep things ticking over.
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Jockey Mitchell Bell will partner Highway Patrol in his debut. Picture: AAP Image
“It was a family decision to come back to Sydney,” O’Rourke said.
“When my partner and I had a baby, she wanted to closer to family in Sydney so we come down here and Hawkesbury is a great place to be.
“I got the support of a few owner/breeders who have given me some horses.
“We started again from scratch after moving back from Murwillumbah but everything is going well.
“We haven’t had a lot of runners with most of the team made up of young horses we are getting up and going.”
From only a small number of starters, he landed a winning double of Kembla in late April and he can repeat that effort with two strong contenders at Wyong.
Kicking off the day for O’Rourke is debutant Highway Patrol who has been very impressive in winning his two barrier trials.
O’Rourke had the three-year-old in at Dubbo last Friday and Hawkesbury on Sunday but elected to scratch the gelding owing to wide barrier draws.
This time around, the gelding has drawn nicely in barrier 5 in the Wyong Leagues Group Maiden Plate over 1350m with Mitchell Bell to ride.
“I was leaning to the Midway 3YO Maiden at Kembla on Saturday but we accepted here to have a look at how the field came up and it looks a lovely race for him on paper,” O’Rourke said.
“He has been a bit of a surprise packet. He wasn’t showing us a whole lot when he came from Gai (Waterhouse) and Adrian’s (Bott) originally but I put the blinkers on him in a jumpout one day and the penny started to drop.
Special Day (left) can notch her second career win at Wyong on Thursday. Picture: Bradley Photos
“He has gone onwards and upwards from there. He has been a different animal.
“It’s not that he isn’t genuine, he just needed that bit of focus and they have made a big difference to him.”
Highway Patrol opened a $2.15 TAB favourite on Tuesday ahead of Dapper Dancer, Huracanevo and Skyhawk as $4.60 equal second-favourites.
“I am happy with the horse. He still has improvement to come as he learns more but he is progressing the right way,” he said.
“This looks like a really nice race and when I looked at his pedigree, it points to 1400 metres to a mile being his ideal distance.
“The 1350 metres at Wyong looks a perfect distance for him to start off and he should be very competitive.”
Later in the afternoon, O’Rourke saddles up Special Day in the Mingara Recreation Club Provincial Class 1 and Maiden Plate of 2100m.
The four-year-old mare resumed from a 29-week spell when third behind Ruby Flyer and Critical Time at Hawkesbury on May 18.
“I was quite pleased with her run considering she was first-up over a mile,” he said.
“I have been training her to get her out to 2400 metres so that has probably taken a bit of the sprint out of her to be honest.
“The blinkers will go back this week as she won’t be as fresh and this looks a really good race for her.
“I would be disappointed if she doesn’t figure in the finish.”
Special Day opened at $4.80 on the second line of TAB betting behind Acceber at $2.20.
PFIEFFER’S ANGEL TO KEEP ADDING TO HER WINNING FUND
Trainer David Pfieffer didn’t expect Angel Fund to settle last when resuming at Gosford but he certainly wasn’t surprised by her impressive win.
Jason Collett let the filly find her feet early before taking an inside run around the bend and storming home to score easing down by a length.
The daughter of Capitalist has drawn barrier 3 in the Munmorah United Bowling Club Class 1 Handicap (1100m) at Wyong where she opened the $3.30 favourite.
“She a filly who has always shown a bit of promise,” Pfieffer said.
“I wasn’t expecting her to get back to last but what she did in the straight and the turn of foot she showed indicates she has got a good future.
Angel Fund can make it back-to-back wins at Wyong on Thursday. Picture: Bradley Photos
“I think from the draw, she will follow a couple of them and as long as she has a horse to follow, she has shown she can let down with that turn of foot. I don’t think the short straight will worry her too much.”
Angel Fund won her first three barrier trials and started a $1.70 favourite when she made her debut at Newcastle back in December.
While she was beaten, she did was only three-quarters of a length off Millybella and Rebel Love after racing outside the leader and she had excuses according to Pfieffer.
“She didn’t quite stretch out and subsequently pulled up shin sore,” he said.
“She has been a slow mature as she is a late foal so it was good to see her show us her class first-up this campaign.
“She is still has a lot of improvement to come – both mentally and physically.
“I’m sure that will come to her with time, racing and experience.”
Joining Angel Fund on the truck to Wyong is stablemate Lysander who will contest the Wyong Leagues Group Maiden Plate over 1350m.
The gelding finished seventh on debut behind Smart Legend and Afterboomer over 1200m at Kembla on May 23 and Pfieffer feels a step up in distance this week will be a positive.
“I think he will be a definite improver from his first run. The extra trip will a benefit for him and the blinkers will be a big help as well,” he said.
“I expect him to be a competitive chance in this race. It’s only a small field as well.
Lysander opened a $21 chance behind debutant Highway Patrol.