The Kensington Midweek meeting at Royal Randwick delivered a competitive eight-race programme on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, with leading Sydney trainers and jockeys enjoying a productive afternoon under Australian Turf Club management. Chris Waller prepared multiple winners during the meeting, while jockeys J B McDonald and T J Schiller both recorded doubles across the card. The programme featured a balanced mix of sprint and middle-distance contests on the Kensington circuit.
Opening the afternoon programme, Race 1 – Hawaii Five Oh @ Vinery Stud Handicap saw TRON BOLT score impressively for J B McDonald and trainer Chris Waller in a time of 1:22.53. Racing prominently throughout, the winner travelled strongly before pulling clear over the closing stages. ROLLING HOME finished second after staying on well in the straight, while UNHINGED secured third place. The result gave the Waller stable an early advantage on the card.
Maintaining the momentum on the card, Race 2 – Tab Plate went the way of ADENAUER for T J Schiller and the training partnership of Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes. The winner travelled smoothly before finishing strongly to record 1:23.55 in a competitive performance. ARTGIRL finished second, with NUCLEAR PETE taking third after remaining consistent throughout the run. The Hawkes stable once again showed its strength in Sydney midweek racing.
Adding further quality to the meeting, Race 3 – Kia Central Region Dealer Of The Year Handicap featured a solid victory for I AM CARROT under J Collett for trainer Nacim Dilmi. The gelding handled the pace effectively before scoring in 1:16.45 with a strong finish in the straight. ALPHARD claimed second position ahead at Royal Randwickof EVENTS in third after both runners stayed on late. The sprint contest produced a closely fought finish among the leading runners.
Continuing the successful afternoon for Chris Waller, Race 4 – Kia Southern Region Dealer Of The Year Handicap produced another stable victory when NASEBAH prevailed under Ms S Grima. The mare settled comfortably before finishing best to stop the clock at 1:49.00 over the middle-distance trip. LUPA CAPITOLINA filled second place, while LA MORRA completed the placings in third. The victory added further depth to Waller’s productive afternoon at Royal Randwick.
In one of the stronger middle-distance performances of the card, Race 5 – Kia Western Region Dealer Of The Year Handicap saw CHISPA hand J B McDonald his second winner of the afternoon. Prepared by Chris Waller, the winner finished strongly to register 1:49.57 after travelling smoothly throughout the race. AFFERMATO finished second, while STAY TUNED completed the placings with a steady late effort. The race continued the dominance of the Waller-McDonald combination.
Showcasing the sprint division on the Kensington circuit, Race 6 – Kia Northern Region Dealer Of The Year Handicap went to MAFIA for jockey T Berry and trainers Mitchell Beer & George Carpenter. The winner produced a sharp finishing effort to score in 1:13.19 after showing good speed from the outset. WEST OF DALBY finished second ahead of HIGH BLUE SEA in third position. The race was among the quicker sprint events conducted during the meeting.
Delivering another competitive finish, Race 7 – Kia Eastern Region Dealer Of The Year Handicap featured a determined success for THAMES under Z T Lloyd for trainer Gary Portelli. The winner responded strongly in the concluding stages to record 1:12.97 in a tightly contested sprint. SUPER NUI finished second after challenging late, while MRS MAREE took third place. The result provided another valuable metropolitan success for the Portelli stable.
Bringing the meeting to a close, Race 8 – Kia National Dealer Of The Year Handicap ended with victory for THEBLADE under T J Schiller for the Hawkes training partnership. THEBLADE travelled comfortably before quickening decisively to clock 1:22.27 in the final race of the afternoon. CROSSBOW finished second ahead of CELLARMASTER in third after both runners remained competitive to the line. The concluding result secured a second winner on the programme for Schiller and the Hawkes team.
The Kensington Midweek programme once again highlighted the depth of Sydney metropolitan racing, with established stables and leading riders producing strong performances throughout the afternoon at Royal Randwick.
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