Talented Central Coast jockey Jess Taylor was popular with punters on Saturday when she piloted two favorites to victory at the Newcastle Jockey Clubs race meeting. Taylor was the only jockey to ride a double on the seven-race program and the 34-year-old is enjoying another successful season with 34 winners to date.
Champion trainer Chris Waller booked her to ride his promising 3-year-old filly Sound Banker, the $2.35 favourite in the 1300 metre Ivers Sheet Metal Super Maiden Plate. The Capitalist filly was resuming from a ten-month spell but had not been far away in her only two starts at Warwick Farm last winter. Sound Banker was keen to race from the start and Taylor had no hesitation in allowing her to run to a clear lead and she was never headed, scoring by 2.35 lengths. “I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve had a ride for Chris, but it was a long time back. My instructions were to race midfield, but she wore earmuffs and after jumping midfield the filly towed herself to the lead and was never in danger. She was pretty impressive” Taylor said. The winner is raced by the famous Ingham family, one of whom is Debbie Kepitis, part owner of the champion Winx.
Taylors other winner was the well backed Elegant Empress in the 900 metre Cambridge Classic Benchmark 64 Handicap. The grey mare trained at Warwick Farm by Jarrod Austin was a solid $3.20 favorite and had to overcome a tough run outside the two leaders from the start. She drew clear late to win by close to a length. “The mare has good gate speed and after a fast start, two others hunted up inside me but with only one turn in the 900 metre races you can sit wide and win” Taylor said.
A lightweight riding at 48 kilograms Taylor, mother of two children Evelyn (7 and Noah (5) has ridden 578 winners in fourteen years.
Newcastle based jockey Aaron Bullock rode his fifth winner in four days when he steered Kris Lees Oakfield Duke to an easy victory in the 1250 metre Bright & Duggan Provincial Benchmark 68 handicap. After settling in third in the small filed the winner raced to the lead halfway down the straight and kept going to win by 1.75 lengths. Oakfield Duke is a swimmer with all seven wins on wet tracks. He is raced by Bruce Mackenzie, the former long-serving mayor of Port Stephens and a huge investor in racing.
Four of Bullock’s five winners last week are owned by Mackenzie. After Saturday’s meeting Bullock had ridden 92 winners for the season in New South Wales, eight behind leader Ash Morgan. Bullock is making a late charge after missing a number of meetings during the season.
Mornington Pier, formerly with Ciaron Maher stable, was impressive winning first up for Nathan Doyle in the 1400 metre Chill-Rite Class 1 Handicap on Saturday. His only previous win was at Newcastle in February 2024 when trained by Maher and ridden by Andrew Gibbons. The latter was reunited with Mornington Pier on Saturday and after being a clear last in the straight the 4-year-old stormed home late to win by .83 of a length.
Punters were left stunned when $71 chance Hoku relished the heavy going to win the opening event, the 900 metre Phil Duggan Tribute Maiden Handicap. The 6-year-old did his early racing in Victoria with Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr) and did not salute in four starts. Muswellbrook trainer Les Roberts bought him in early 2022 and Saturday was his first win in 30 starts.
Newcastle Jockey Club races again on Saturday 28 June for the annual Newcastle Cystic Fibrosis Race Day.