Up-and-coming trainer Sam Kavanagh has used his maiden Sydney Saturday win to give money to the victims of bushfires that have torn through NSW.
The son of leading Melbourne trainer Mark, Kavanagh tasted victory when apprentice Yusuke Ichikawa drove five-year-old Absalon to the line first in Saturday’s Coolmore Australia Handicap (1400m).
Kavanagh brought two horses to the races and after Absalon’s win he made good on his promise to donate $1500 to the Salvation Army’s bushfire appeal as part of a special fundraising day at Randwick.
“I thought I’d have two (winners),” Kavanagh said.
“But we’ll donate $1500 to the Salvos today. It’s a great cause and we’re happy to support the cause.
“It’s very exciting to have a winner at Randwick.”
Hailing from South Australia, Kavanagh moved to Sydney in August and has established a new base at Rosehill.
Within a fortnight, Jim Cassidy had ridden Kavanagh’s four-year-old Words Are Weapons to an emphatic midweek win at Warwick Farm – his first Sydney victory.
Now settled in and “loving it”, Kavanagh’s focus is on training his young and green horses to race.
“We’ve got 35 horses and 25 of them haven’t raced, so I think we’ve got some really good quality at home. It’s just a matter of time before we start to get a few runners and things start ticking along,” he said.
“The next 12 months really should be onwards and upwards.”
Words Are Weapons, ridden by Jason Collett, had to settle for third place in a benchmark 85 race after he was edged out in a dramatic four-way photo finish won by Cassidy on Chris Waller’s Field Marshall.
Racegoers could donate to the bushfire appeal as part of a fundraising day at Randwick, which hoped to raise $100,000.
The Australian Turf Club donated all sponsorship revenue from the day towards the cause.
