New Dad Edmonds hopes to continue celebrations at Doomben

By Glenn Davis

Co-trainer Trent Edmonds hopes to celebrate the biggest event of his life when the stable saddles up two runners at Doomben on Wednesday.

Edmonds, 30, became a first-time father when partner Natahlia Johnson delivered a healthy baby girl, Penelope, at Gold Coast University hospital last Saturday.

“Penelope arrived a couple of weeks early and it’s just an amazing feeling to be a Dad,” Edmonds said.

“I was getting ready to go to the races last Saturday when Natahlia said I better not go and it wasn’t long before we were off to the hospital.

“It was a 48-hour labour but I managed to have my phone in the birthing suite watching the races.”

Natahlia has a background in motor bike racing and met Edmonds after applying for work at Edmonds’ Gold Coast stable.

“Nat used to ride motor bikes and she was pretty good at it."

Edmonds trains in partnership with his father Toby who will saddle up Great Keppell in the Class 5 Handicap over 1200 metres and Weneiri in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate over the same distance.

Great Keppell is having his first start since finishing fifth to the David Vandyke-trained Dissolution in a 1600-metre Benchmark race at Doomben in mid-February.

“He always seems to improve after his first run back from a spell but he’s going well enough,” Edmonds said.

“He might need the run but he’s had quite a few barrier trials and his last trial was very good when he won at Beaudesert.

“He’s won a few races now and it’s becoming hard to place him but he should run well.”

Weneiri is a son of Rothesay and impressed at his only start when third behind Mishani Sniper in a 900-metre two-year-old race at the Gold Coast on July 31.

“He ran a very nice race on debut and he never had much luck,” Edmonds said.

“He’s taken a lot of improvement from the run and a step up in journey will suit him even better.

“He ticks all the boxes and looks a good each-way hope.”

Jockey Andrew Mallyon will take the ride on Weneiri while apprentice Jayden Lloyd will utilise his three kilogram claim to offset Great Keppell’s massive weight of 62kgs.