Kavanagh Makes His Mark In Sydney

The Sydney stable of trainer Sam Kavanagh has gotten off to the perfect start with his first runner Words Are Weapons victorious in the Ibis Milano Lunch Special Sprint (1100m) at Warwick Farm yesterday.

Words Are Weapons

Words Are Weapons gave the Sydney stable of Sam Kavanagh the perfect start with her victory at Warwick Farm yesterday. Photo by: Jenny Barnes

Kavanagh made the move from Adelaide to Sydney for the 2013/2014 racing season and was immediately rewarded as Words Of Weapons was too good in her first race as a four-year-old.

The daughter of Dubawi was slightly disappointing in the Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) last month, her last run in Adelaide, but bounced back to her best to improve her racing record to three wins from four starts.

“She was our main gun to bring up here early,” Kavanagh told AAP after the race.

“I was confident until last Tuesday when she didn’t handle the track and I was a bit toey after that but then she worked well on Saturday.

“It’s a great way to start and a massive relief.”

Kavanagh had plenty of success in the eighteen months he spent as a trainer in South Australia, winning the Listed Balaklava Cup (1600m), Matrice Stakes (1300m) and Tokyo City Cup (1800m) with Bagman, but said he was looking forward to the extra prizemoney on offer in New South Wales.

“The prize money and the owners’ bonus schemes are good incentives,” Kavanagh said.

“Racing is exciting in NSW.”

Kavanagh is the son of leading Victorian trainer Mark Kavanagh and Sam said earlier in the week that his father’s large presence in Melbourne was one of the reasons behind his move to Sydney.

“My father is already in Melbourne and well-regarded there, so I wanted to make my own name, away from him,” the rising trainer told News Limited.

Kavanagh does not have a runner at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and his only entrant at Gosford today has been scratched.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.