Murray Bridge Trainers Continue Strong January Form

Murray Bridge trainers maintained their early-season momentum throughout the past week, recording wins and strong placings across Strathalbyn, Penola, Murray Bridge, Kingscote and interstate at Esperance. With depth across multiple stables, the Country Road continues to deliver consistent results as January racing gathers pace.

Strathalbyn Domination on Wednesday

Local trainers featured prominently at Strathalbyn, beginning in Race One with a Murray Bridge clean sweep. The Highlander, trained by Grant Young and ridden by Jason Holder, claimed a narrow 0.22 length victory. Garret Lynch filled the minor placings with Arlo’s Dream (Campbell Rawiller) finishing second and Lai Flipper (Tala Hutchinson) third.

In Race Two, Michael Hickmott’s Stranded produced a strong performance under Jake Toeroek, scoring by 1.68 lengths.
Later on the card, Savsonic, trained by Stephen Theodore and partnered by Campbell Rawiller, secured Race Five with a 0.96 length win, holding out Shadow Hawk from the Bill Williams stable.

Race Six delivered the most decisive result of the day, with Didwewin, trained by Garret Lynch, powering home under Caitlin Tootell for a commanding 4.69 length victory. France’s Boy (John Hickmott & Carrina Riggs) ran second, while Princess On Palm (Michael Hickmott) completed the trifecta.

Penola Weekday Wins on Friday

Murray Bridge success continued at Penola, where Sarah Rutten’s Legal Drama opened the day with a determined 0.29 length win in Race One, ridden by Stacey Metcalfe.
Race Six went to Santastico, trained by Matthew Seyers and ridden by Campbell Rawiller, edging clear by 0.25 lengths.

In Race Nine, Heather Lehmann’s Kikorangi capped off the meeting in style, with Sairyn Fawke steering the gelding to a comfortable 2.36 length victory.

Home Turf Glory in Murray Bridge on Saturday

Home-track honors were claimed in Race Five, with Crimson Vine, trained by Sarah Rutten and ridden by Kayla Crowther, delivering a polished 0.48 length win. Snoopy Now, from the Darryl Hewitt stable and ridden by Connor Murtagh, finished second.

Kingscote Strength

Murray Bridge trainers again made their presence felt at Kingscote. In Race Two, Garret Lynch’s The Gov prevailed by a narrow 0.16 lengths under Alyssa Webb, while Lynch also filled third with Crimosa, ridden by Sairyn Fawke.

The middle stages of the program belonged to Nicole Irwin, who trained back-to-back winners with Redwinelover (Race Three) and Lastar (Race Four), both expertly ridden by Sophie Potter.

The meeting concluded with a stable quinella for Garret Lynch in Race Six, as Normie No Show (Tala Hutchinson) edged out stablemate Rokabye Warrior (Sairyn Fawke) by 0.26 lengths.

Esperance, Western Australia – Quadrella for David Page

Further west, Murray Bridge trainer David Page enjoyed a standout day at Esperance, training the winners of four consecutive races to land an impressive quadrella.
The run began with Titan Rising (Race Four, Ava Catarino), followed by Zadows Landing (Race Five, Wayne Wheatley), Midnight Rush (Race Six, Ava Catarino), and Dothraki (Race Seven, Bailey Webster).

With winners recorded across multiple venues and a strong showing from both established and emerging stables, Murray Bridge trainers continue to reinforce their depth and consistency as the 2026 season builds.