The Newcastle Jockey Club received an unexpected boost to TAB turnover when Saturday’s Randwick meeting was called off. Broadmeadow’s long time reputation as a top wet weather venue was put to the test and came through with flying colours. It was hard to argue with the H10 rating, and runners were using a lot of the track in the run home but all eight races were conducted without mishap. Interestingly horses travelled close to the fence in all races until the home turn where riders began to search for faster lanes.
Leading trainer on the day was Adam Duggan whose only two runners revelled in the ground to score emphatic wins. He opened his account in a Fillies and Mares Maiden with first starter Erina who benefited from Mollie Fitzgerald’s 2KG claim. His second winner Divine Bene, also aided by a 2KG claim for Mitch Stapleford absolutely flew through the going to win a BM68 by a widening 3.5 lengths. “He’s by far the best wet tracker I’ve ever trained,” said Adam. “He remains confident no matter how heavy the conditions and his action never changes. I can’t put my finger on the reason, but this horse just loves soft ground. I hope we get a few more rain affected tracks while he’s in winning form.”
Divine Bene (Mitch Stapleford) relished the heavy conditions to score an emphatic win in the BM68 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Adam is the first to admit he took a big gamble by sending Divine Bene around in an 800m barrier trial at Gosford just forty eight hours before he was due to race. “It was a gut feel decision,” said the trainer. “He hadn’t raced for more than five weeks and I knew he was on the fresh side. Even in trackwork he’s a bit of a problem when he gets above himself. I also felt he needed a decent gallop before the Newcastle race, so the trial was dual purpose. I was disappointed with his unplaced run at Warwick Farm on July 2nd but a reason soon surfaced. A couple of days later he presented with an abscess in the gullet area which required a few days of treatment with antibiotics. Hence the gap of five weeks between runs.”
Even with the barrier trial under his belt the gelding appeared to go pretty keenly in front and looked vulnerable for a few strides when Close Encounter and Princess Cruizer both threatened danger at the 200m. Divine Bene suddenly realised how much he was enjoying the soft ground and left the chasers floundering.
Adam Duggan explains why the horse is a five year old with only thirteen race starts on his CV. “He actually started pretty early and went around at the official 2YO trials in 2022, but recurring knee issues troubled him for a long time. He had six trials over the next eighteen months before he was ready to race. Even then he took a long time to win. He won at his eighth start in March and has raced consistently since, other than the disappointing run at Warwick Farm when the abscess was forming. He’s now won three races with three placings in his last seven runs.”
The Gosford trainer was keen to credit Logan Salvador for his judgement in selecting and purchasing Divine Bene for $60,000 at the 2020 Inglis Classic Sale. “Logan is just twenty eight years old but is already one of the most astute judges of yearlings I’ve come across,” said Duggan. “He’s done a great job in a short time to get Salvador Bloodstock and Management up and running from his Central Coast office. I’ve got a lot of confidence in his assessment of young horses, and his strike rate speaks for itself. Divine Bene’s many owners are enjoying a fun ride with more to come, especially if the tracks stay wet for a while.”
Erina, first leg of the Duggan double is another example of what patience can do in the management of young horses. The Kermadec mare was about to turn four when she had her first barrier trial at Wyong as recently as June 16th. “She ran fourth in that first trial, ran second in the next one at Hawkesbury three weeks later and won her third trial at Gosford on July 23rd,” said Adam. “She’s got a bit to learn yet as you saw on Saturday. She was reluctant to go past the leader Luskintyre on straightening up, but switched on when a couple of horses loomed up on her outside. She really surged when Mollie Fitzgerald got busy. I’m confident this mare will handle a mile going forward. She just needs to learn a bit more about the racing business.”
Four year old mare Erina made an impressive debut at Newcastle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Adam’s association with Erina is a by-product of an old friendship with owner-breeder Peter Horsnell, a former trainer himself. “Peter still has his trainer’s licence but for now he’s happy to support my little stable,” says Duggan. “When I decided to try my hand at training in 2007 Peter had some spare boxes in his Gosford stabling block and kindly offered me accommodation for my handful of ordinary horses. As Peter cut his team back, I was getting a few more horses to train and quickly filled the boxes. Those stables eventually became the property of the Gosford Race Club who agreed to lease it to me.” I’m still there eighteen years after the beginning of my career. I’ve never forgotten Peter’s kindness in helping me to get off the ground.”
Adam Duggan was thrilled to win with Erina for old friend Peter Horsnell - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
With only fifteen boxes in the complex Adam has been unable to expand the size of his team but looks upon that as a blessing in disguise. “It enables me to keep across the characteristics of every horse, which is the way I like to do things,” he said. “I’m there most of the time seven days a week. Having no more than fifteen horses reduces the chances of uncovering a good one, but we’re happy with the few nice horses we’ve had to date.”
Right at the top of the list is Diamond Diesel who landed in the Duggan stable by an ironic quirk of fate. Originally a $65,000 purchase for Team Hawkes at the 2018 Inglis Classic Sale, Diamond Diesel was snapped up by voracious Hong Kong agents after a couple of impressive barrier trials. It’s now history that the son of Mossman suffered a stress fracture to a shoulder during his only start.
The prognosis wasn’t hopeless, but the Hong Kong owner decided to accept an offer from TCR Racing, a partnership between Hong Kong based Derek Tam and his Sydney based associate Peter Coffey. In an era when Aussie horses were being bought up by Hong Kong agents at a furious pace, TCR Racing was doing the exact opposite. Tam and Coffey were identifying expat Aussie horses who hadn’t measured up in HK, buying them at bargain prices under strict veterinary opinion and sending them home.
Adam has enjoyed success with several TCR horses, but Diamond Diesel has been the headline act. The tough-as-teak nine year old has raced twenty eight times for the Duggan stable posting eight wins and seven placings for over $593,000. His last start second to Headley Grange at Rosehill indicated the veteran isn’t finished yet.
Diamond Diesel (Dylan Gibbons) in one of eight wins for the Duggan stable - a BM72 at a Canterbury night meeting 2023 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Adam is currently enamoured of an unraced three old filly in his Gosford stable who goes by the name of Brown Sugar. The filly will be raced by Erina’s owner Peter Horsnell and should be at the races in five to six weeks. “She’s by Pierata who’s away to a flying start as a stallion,” said Adam. “His progeny are winning all over the place and seem to have inherited his genuine attitude to racing. “Our filly is out of Fox, one of my all time favourites. She was by Snitzel and raced only a handful of times for two Gosford wins. She suffered a chronic ligament tear in one hock and that was the end of her career. Fox had enough ability to win a stakes race eventually. I’m delighted to be training one of her daughters.”
Adam in his Gosford stables with the pony sized Kopite, winner of 9 races.
Adam was very fond of a gutsy little mare called Kopite who retired with a record of 48 starts for nine wins, eleven placings and $205,000 in prize money. “We called her the black flash,” said Adam. “She stood just 15.1 hands, was a great trier and seemed to win a race whenever stable morale was low. Every stable needs a Kopite.”
The Gosford trainer was shattered a few seasons back when Sir Elton developed a breathing infirmity after impressively winning three races from just ten starts. “He won a Gosford maiden, a Cl 2 at Wyong and a BM70 at Randwick,” recalled Adam. “Hugh Bowman put a good wrap on him after that Randwick win and indicated he’d like to stick with him going forward. Same old story. As his wind infirmity worsened his form tapered off and that was that. You wonder what the heck you’re doing in this business from time to time.”
Family, friends and clients know exactly what Adam Duggan is doing in the business. He happens to love the horses and the adrenaline rush that only a winner can bring. Away from racing he enjoys life with partner Jessica and two young sons Jack (14) and Henry (7). Jessica keeps the boys informed whenever one of Dad’s horses is engaged. “They like to know how each runner performs, but apart from that I can’t see any real connection with the business,” says Adam. “The racing genes are strong and you never know which way kids are likely to go. Time will tell.”
Adam with Hugh Bowman after Sir Elton's Randwick win in 2019 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Mollie Fitzgerald was all smiles as she returned to scale on Erina at Newcastle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.