Steven not doing it hard after strong run

By Jordan Gerrans

Trainer Steven Hardy has not let the recent severe storm that swept through Warwick halt his momentum with his in-form team.

Like many stables at the regional Queensland town, Hardy and his gallopers have been displaced in recent weeks following the serious storm that hit the town in late November. 

Following extensive damage to the Warwick Turf Club’s facilities, Hardy – and many other local trainers – headed up to Clifford Park at Toowoomba in the following weeks to continue to get their horses worked.

The Warwick Turf Club’s committee, volunteer base and staff have worked feverishly to repair damage at their track so their popular Boxing Day meeting will proceed later this week.

Southern Downs conditioner Hardy is one trainer who will arrive at the meeting with his eye in after Este Dia won at Chinchilla on Saturday while stablemate Under The Cap put in a big effort to run in the money. 

The 44-year-old Hardy will take Airswing to the Warwick meeting this Friday and he is full of praise for all the efforts from the locals to ensure the races will be run.

“It is good for the club to be able to race as they have been through a lot,” Hardy said.

“The work the club have done behind the scenes, even for us to get back to the track for trackwork, has been phenomenal.

“I have to take my hat off to them. This meeting is one of the bigger ones for the club, so it is important it is held.

“Racing Queensland have helped out a lot, as well.”

The severe storm caused damage to various racing and administrative areas at Allman Park such as the barrier sheds, tie-up stalls, running rail, animal ambulance, winning post and bookies’ ring. 

Hardy was also quick to applaud Toowoomba hoop Montanna Savva for helping out the Warwick trainers when they were desperate to get their horses worked.

Warwick Turf Club President Eric Standing said the club had been overwhelmed by the community support to get the venue ready for racing.

The Hardy stable is enjoying a prosperous start to the 2025-26 campaign.

They have collected three winners and are striking at more than 20%. 

It is their best winning percentage in a decade. 

While the barn is only taking a small number of horses to the races - they have only had 14 runners so far - they are being placed effectively. 

Este Dia collected his third win for the stable at Chinchilla on Saturday since joining Hardy’s operation earlier this year.

The gelding was previously prepared by Robbie Griffiths who Hardy says has been instrumental in helping him get the best out of the five-year-old. 

With emerging apprentice Reece O'Connell in the saddle, Este Dia led from start-to-finish at Chinchilla on Saturday to score by more than three lengths. 

“I was pleased with the performance because he had a lot of weight,” the trainer said.

“Although we claimed three kilograms from him, he still carried 60.5kg with a lot of dead weight.

“I was really happy with how he went, actually. Last prep, he was a tricky horse for us to deal with – there was a few things we were constantly working on.

“But, this time in, he seems to be a lot better, he is eating better and he is much more sound at the moment.

“The spell has done him the world of good by the looks of it.

“I wasn’t sure if we could win a race with him early days so for him to win three for us, we are very pleased.”

The O'Connell and Hardy team are proving to be a likely combination. 

They ran second together with Powerful Eagle in the feature Warwick Cup in the middle of October. 

Hardy has gone the way of a senior rider to partner Airswing on Friday and has booked Paul Hamblin. 

Airswing is a newcomer to Hardy’s Warwick operation after previously being prepared by Matthew Dunn just south of the Tweed border.

Dunn ran the four-year-old gelding in a number of city events before he was eventually moved on. 

Airswing will head to the Class 3 Plate over 1200 metres on Friday.

“He is nice horse,” Hardy said.

“I think he has loads of ability, but he is not quite there yet in the head. He is a little bit hot-headed.

“I was pleased with his trial, the most recent one, against open company horses. I think he will be going to the races in good order.

“The horses head needs to catch up to his ability and it is coming along ok in the last couple of months. He still has a long way to go.”