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One eye on SA, the other on ‘beautiful’ Sydney Cup runner

In addition to looking after two Freedman runners at Morphettville this weekend, local trainer Paula Trenwith will have one eye on Saturday’s Sydney Cup.

Around this time last year Paula started her association with the Victorian stable, becoming the SA base for its Adelaide Racing Carnival runners during the COVID-impacted 2020 event.

Among the millions of dollars of horseflesh in her care was Realm Of Flowers, who ultimately had four South Australian runs, culminating in a victory in the Group 3 SA Classic (2500m) for three-year-old fillies.

During that autumn stay, Paula and her staff “fell in love” with Realm Of Flowers, who will start close to favourite in Saturday’s $2 million, 3200m, Group 1 staying feature at Randwick.

“She’s beautiful and I’ll be keeping a close eye on her this Saturday,” Paula said this week.

“If she could win, it would say a lot for Adelaide racing.

“But more than that, she’s special to all of us – because she’s an absolute darling.”

After running third in the Laelia Stakes at Morphettville and a strong sixth in the Auraria Stakes, Realm Of Flowers missed a start – as an emergency – in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks, forcing her to run in midweek event at Murray Bridge en route to the SA Classic. The daughter of So You Think went on to contest several black-type races in Victoria last spring, before her current Sydney campaign, which included an outstanding second – when caught wide throughout – in the Group 3 Manion Cup over 2400m at Rosehill a fortnight ago.

Other visiting stars in Paula’s care last autumn included Santa Ana Lane, Warning and Lyre, and Anthony and Sam Freedman were so pleased with her efforts over the five-week stretch that the arrangement quickly became permanent.

“The Freedmans have continued to send them all through the year, the past 12 months, which is fantastic,” he said.

“They said after the carnival that they were very happy…

“I’m just so very grateful to them.”

Trenwith expects to take in additional talented Freedman gallopers over the coming month, before her attention turns to a mid-winter sojourn in her happy hunting ground of Darwin.

“I’ve got all my horses in work and I’m preparing to go to Darwin for the winter this year,” she said.

“Last year we couldn’t go, but I’m hoping to take about five this year.”

Among that quintet will be one horse set to continue her Freedman connection in the Northern Territory.

“I was really fortunate that Freedmans sent a three-year-old my way, Spy Colonel, and he might be able to target the NT Derby up there,” she said.

“I’m hoping he’ll accumulate enough prizemoney to get in the race – he’s already won on the synthetic at Pakenham.

“They thought the horse would be really suited for Adelaide. I watched his races and thought he’d be ideal to go north.”

Paula says she has been making the annual pilgrimage to Darwin “for a long time”.

“I won the Darwin Cup in 2006 with Nozi,” she said.

“And I had been up there a couple of times previously too. I’ve actually won a lot of those feature lead-up races too.”

The Freedmans have sent Deep Dive to Paula's stable this weekend.

 

IMAGE: Paula Trenwith with Realm Of Flowers in Adelaide last year.

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