O'Halloran debuts cleverly-named filly at home

HAWKESBURY trainer Steve O’Halloran isn’t getting his “knickers in a knot”!

He is debuting a King’s Legacy filly named Camilla’s Knickers (Tyler Schiller) at home tomorrow in the Hahn Super Dry Provincial Maiden Plate (1100m), and clearly has a sense of humour.

“I haven’t heard from King Charles III; I’m still waiting for the email to come through,” O’Halloran said this morning.

O’Halloran paid $55,000 for Camilla’s Knickers at the 2024 Inglis Classic yearling sale, and syndicated her amongst a group which includes his wife Stephanie, Fox Sports rugby league presenter Yvonne O’Keefe (Sampson) and his stable star Mal Coupe’s part-owner Kay Stevenson.

“I met Yvonne as Inglis ambassador when she came out and did an interview when we had Nymphadora in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery at Randwick in December 2023 (she ran third at $101),” O’Halloran said.

“She was at the Classic sale a couple of months later, and said she would take a share in Camilla’s Knickers after I bought her.

“Everyone in the syndicate suggested a name and Camilla’s Knickers came out on top.

“She is a big filly and, typical of the breed, needed a bit of time, so we didn’t push her to race as a two-year-old.”

O’Halloran has trialled Camilla’s Knickers twice this preparation, and is pleased with her progress.

“I took her to Wyong on March 5, and she was in the last of 13 heats on a messy track by the time that came around,” he said.

“Camilla’s Knickers went around and handled it okay to finish third.

“Then she trialled again at home 18 days later and ran second in a 1000m heat on another rain-affected track.”

O’Halloran says Camilla’s Knickers has kept improving from jumpouts to trials, and is ready to go to the races.

“This will be a good starting point for her, and there’s still a bit of improvement to come,” he added.

O’Halloran has nominated Mal Coupe for Saturday’s Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m), to be run at set weights plus penalties at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Mal Coupe has done a terrific job for his connections, winning six of his 14 starts (including five in a row), and last raced when fourth in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28.

“He is ticking over nicely, and the three weeks between breaks will suit him,” O’Halloran said.

*Words by John Curtis for hawkesburyraceclub.com.au