Racing
Hawkesbury News: 25th September 2025
He's done very well!
The equine namesake of Young Mister Grace , a star of the popular British sitcom of the 1970s-80s Are You Being Served, was entitled to those plaudits after an impressive debut at his home track today.
Young Mister Grace and his brother Old Mister Grace owned the fictional Grace Bros department store in the series, and the former regularly told his staff: "You've all done very well".
Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup was confident his three-year-old could also do very well in the Richmond Club Super Maiden Plate (1000m) – and he was correct.
Ridden by Dylan Gibbons and starting a well-backed $1.50 favorite, the Anders colt overcame an awkward beginning to trounce his rivals.
In a local quinella result, Young Mister Grace defeated another debutante, Mitch and Desiree Kearney's filly Miss Johanski ($101) by more than three lengths.
Young Mister Grace is the first foal of the Zoustar mare Enstarnito, who raced only once and was retired to start a breeding career.
The colt is raced by multiple Group 1 winner Think It Over's breeder-owner Richard Johnston, who also bred him and gave him to Widdup to train.
"Young Mister Grace is the first horse I have trained for Richard, and I have taken my time with him," Widdup said this evening.
"He trialled twice as a two-year-old earlier in the year and trialled well, but I wasn't ready to pull the trigger and send him to the races.
"He had a break and trialled twice again, and I was confident he was ready to start his career and run well."
Think It Over's regular rider Nash Rawiller partnered Young Mister Grace in his latest trial at Rosehill Gardens on September 9, but wasn't certain of making the colt's weight at Hawkesbury – and Gibbons got the call up.
Widdup followed up Money Team's Warwick Farm victory yesterday by posting his eighth winner of the new season.
Gibbons clinched a Hawkesbury double – both for local trainers -as he had also won the previous race for Jason Attard.
The Attard-prepared Prefer Diamonds ($11) took another important step forwarding by snaring the Clarendon Tavern Midway Class 1 Handicap (1500m).
The Preferment five-year-old, who belatedly began her career in December last year, had broken through, also with Gibbons aboard, in a Provincial Maiden (1500m) at home a fortnight ago.
"That race was on soft ground, and I was a bit concerned about the firmer track today (Hawkesbury was upgraded from a Good 4 to 3 following Young Mister Grace's win)," Attard said.
"However she handled it well and is heading in the right direction.
"Prefer Diamonds is bred to get further, and I was looking to run her over 1600m next before I noticed this race came up.
"Now that she has won again, I will look for a suitable 1600m event next to chase a hat-trick."
In another local quinella result, Prefer Diamonds defeated Blake Ryan's $2.40 favorite Strawberry Impact, who was responsible for an excellent effort in defeat, having raced wide and without cover.
Attard has begun the 2025-26 season in great style, Cryptonic's victory at home on September 6 being followed by Prefer Diamond's dual successes.
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