The Newcastle Jockey Club hosted the Tooheys Charity Race Day Supporting Samaritans Christmas Lunch at the Newcastle Racecourse on Sunday. While the healthy crowd enjoyed a day of sunshine it wasn’t a successful day for favourite punters with only one favourite successful on the seven-race program. Matias trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou gelding Matias was the $1.40 favourite in the 1500 metres Tooheys How Do You Feel Maiden Handicap and backers had some anxious moments until the 3-year-old put his nose in front in the shadows of the winning post.
Bred to be a racetrack success the son of champion sire Snitzel and 2019 Group 1 VRC Oaks runner up Never Listen had four previous starts for two placings at Rosehill and Canterbury, however as the betting indicated Matias appeared a class above his opposition on Sunday. He settled in third place with a perfect run until jockey Jay Ford steered him towards the outside of the track and it took him the length of the straight to run down the leader Viewpoint. Alexiou was full of praise “The margin was not a time reflection of the horse’s ability. The leader gave a good kick. Matias will go through his grades, and we may look at the Queensland Grand Prix later this month”. Ford said the run was at a farcical pace and Matias was looking for a longer trip and he suggested the horse will run 2000 or 2400 metres.
The recently formed training partnership of Warwick Farm based Marc Conners, and his son Mitchell produced their first Newcastle winner on Sunday. Marc, son of Newcastle and Hunter Hall Of Famer Clarry Conners has had many Newcastle winners but Danish Princes victory on Sunday was the partnerships first. Danish Prince was a $6 chance in the 1250 metre Tooheys New Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap. Apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald was content to sit outside the leader from the outset on Danish Prince and she dashed away late to win by 1.12 lengths. It was a race to race double for the former Taree apprentice as she steered Tango Queen to victory for Annabel and Rob Archibald in the previous race the 1500 metre Tooheys Extra Dry Class 1 Handicap. Fitzgerald has ridden 31 winners in the first four months of the current season.
Promising Tamworth apprentice Siena Grima rode her first Newcastle winner when she piloted Coffs Harbour galloper Swift Charm to victory in the final event the 1400 metres Tooheys Old Benchmark 64 Handicap the Kiwi bred eight-year-old is trained by Brett Dodson and the geldings win was impressive. Grima has ridden 116 winners in 22 moths and has caught the eye of Chris Waller and Darren Beadman who have given the young lady opportunities on metropolitan tracks.
There is another huge day scheduled for Newcastle Racecourse this Saturday December 6. The race day is ’50 Years’ Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service Supported by Hobson Engineering.