Hawkesbury based jockey Chad Lever brought up his one hundredth winner for the season when he landed a double at Mondays Cessnock race meeting.
The speedy Billy Piu Style in the Sharp Electronics Group 2yo Maiden Handicap (900m) was the first of Lever’s two winners. The gelding trained by Australian Hall of Famer Malcolm Johnston was on debut after a couple of impressive trials at Hawkesbury.
Billy Piu Style speared out of his wide barrier to cross and lead and he was never headed.
The regally bred filly Ellofarock was Lever’s other winner for the Sage Painting Maiden Plate (1570m). The daughter of champion sire Fastnet Rock is trained at Muswellbrook by Aleacia Bennett and it was her first win in seven starts.
The meeting kicked off with the 900 metre Yarraman Park Benchmark 58 Handicap and punters got off to a good start. The heavily backed local mare Mon Petite Fille had speed to burn and she shared the lead and held on to win narrowly.
The five-year-old is raced by Lara Scorse and her trainer John Bannister. It was her second win in nineteen starts.
Muswellbrook trained Apache Junction atoned for an unlucky defeat in his previous start when he held off favourite Lucitor to win the Hungerford Hill Wines Class 1 Maiden Plate (2125).
The four year old drew wide at Tamworth in his previous starts and never got on the track when runner up.
Samantha Clenton put him on the speed from the outset and he outstayed his opponents.
Todd Howlett trains the gelding at Muswellbrook and it was his second win in eighteen starts.
Grant Buckley notched up his ninety seventh win for the season when successful on the Warwick Farm filly Party Glow in The Hunter @ Newcastle November 16 Maiden Handicap (1150m).
The three-year-old was placed at Cessnock earlier in the year and he held off the fast finishing Kris Lees pair Predictable Miss and Hard Lady.
Lees and Aaron Bullock combined to win the Cessnock Leagues Club Class 2 Handicap (1570m) with odds-on favourite Charlie’s Law.
It was a drop in class for the winner and Bullock controlled the race up front.
Two Ducks Artie was the third Muswellbrook trained galloper to win at the meeting when he finished strongly to win the final event the East Cessnock Bowling Club Benchmark 58 Handicap (1350m).
Dale Wagstaff trains Two Ducks Artie and Jake Hull picked up the mount when James Innes Jnr did not make the trip from Sydney.
With only one meeting remaining in the current season Kris Lees leads the Cessnock Trainers Premiership with 10 winners four ahead of Paul Perry.
Chad Lever with 9 winners is three ahead of Andrew Gibbons in the Jockeys Premiership.
Mikayla Weir leads the Apprentices Premiership.