Champion trainer Ciaron Maher and Newcastle 18 Group 1 winning trainer Kris Lees have bright prospects of saddling up the first two winners, both blue blood females at the Newcastle Jockey Club’s race meeting on Saturday.
Maher’s I Am Invincible mare Yvette resumes from a 525-day spell in the 900 metre Phil Duggan Tribute Maiden Handicap with Louise Day in the saddle. The mare was very unlucky on debut at Canterbury in December 2023 when backed from $3.40 into $2.60. She raced in fourth place on the rail and was full of running when badly cut out twice in the straight when looking for clear running. Yvette was an odds-on favourite in her only other start at Canterbury in January 2024 and finished a close third. The mare has had two recent quiet trials and draws an ideal barrier. She is bred and raced by Cressfield Stud, one of the Hunter Valley’s leading brood mare farms. Yvette’s dam, Secret Agenda, won the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes in 2017, and she won and was placed in a number of group races.
Lees has a classy 3-year-old filly Flame Of Hestia which carries the Yulong colours in the 900 metre Cambridge Classic Benchmark 64 Handicap. A half sister to dual Group 1 winner In Her Time the Too Darn Hot filly has won two of four starts, both on wet tracks. Flame Of Hestia won a Newcastle Class 1 by 6.38 lengths on a soft track on April 1 over this short course. The 3-year-old won a recent trial on a Beaumont heavy 9 track. Andrew Gibbons rode her on April 1, and he has the mount on Saturday.
The consistent Righteous Legend can break through for his first win in his sixth start when he contests the 1400 metre Air Control Australia Midway 3YO Maiden Handicap. The 3-year-old has been placed in three of five starts including placings in both Newcastle starts. He was beaten less than a length when third over 1400 metres on this track in August 2024 and the gelding was a length from the winner when runner up here on 23rd April.
Trained at Rosehill by Less and Cherie Curtis, Righteous Legend has been placed on soft and heavy tracks. Penza rides him for the first time on Saturday.
The Archibald training partnership has called on Aaron Bullock to change the luck for Louisburgh in the 1300 metre Ivers Sheet Metal Super Maiden Plate. An on-speed galloper he has been runner up in his only two starts this preparation at Wyong and Gosford. Both starts have been on heavy tracks. The 3-year-old had every chance when beaten two and a quarter lengths at Wyong on May 8. Last start Louisburgh looked the winner halfway down the straight at Gosford on May 29 when he joined the leader Winning Rupert however, the leader kicked back and won by a nose.
Queen’s Rhapsody an impressive winner for new trainer Nathan Doyle at Hawkesbury on May 15 has drawn the coveted rails barrier in the final event the 1200 metre Daikin Australia Class 1 Handicap. She was runner up in all four starts for her previous trainer and all four were on metropolitan tracks. The filly was then a $1.50 chance at Hawkesbury when she travelled well mid field before racing way halfway down the straight for an impressive first win. Ben Looker drives down form Port Macquarie to take the mount.