In form jockey Alyshia Collett had only been booked for three mounts when riders were declared for Mondays Newcastle meeting and all three will be well fancied. It is a seven-event country class meeting to be held on the Newcastle Jockey Clubs Beaumont track. Collett is a regular rider for the Archibald stable on provincial and country tracks, and the talented Kiwi has two mounts for the stable- Ocean Chill in the 1350 metre New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Class Handicap and Trapeze Legend in the 1350 meter The Prince Of Merewether Benchmark 66 Handicap. The 4-year-old New Zealand bred mare Ocean Chill is based at the Archibald’s Scone stables and she was impressive in her only start at Scone when the mare led all the way to win a 1400 metre Maiden on October 13. Collett rode the mare a treat, rating her beautifully up front and Ocean Chill defied the late challenges to win by just under a length. Ocean Chill has barrier 4 and can take the next step.
Trapeze Legend has had four starts for two wins and a second but has not raced for close to a year. The 4-year-old also based at Scone has had two recent barrier trials on the Upper Hunter track. On October 13 the gelding trailed the ten-horse field to the top of the straight and closed off nicely under no pressure. He won successive races at Scone and Bathurst in the Spring last year. Collett’s other mount Ho Aloha is trained by David Pheiffer and steps out in the 1150 metre A-Plus Contracting & Poly Welding Maiden Plate. The filly has had four starts this preparation and was placed at Hawkesbury and Kembla. Last start at Kembla on October 13 she raced in second place only to be run down late to go down by a length. Ho Aloha races well on firm tracks and barrier 3 is ideal.
Scone trainer Scott Singleton and Group 1 winning jockey Christian Reith combine with 3-year-old filly Rainbow Blessing in the 1350 metre Cancer Council Stars Of Newcastle Country Boosted Maiden Plate. The lightly raced filly has been placed in both recent starts and wasn’t far away in both. Rainbow Blessing was nailed on the line by subsequent Scone winner and stablemate Money Games at Tamworth on September 30 and on October 13 the filly was 1.21 lengths from the winner at Scone.
Singleton and Reith will combine with the Kiwi bred 4-year-old Southerly Buster which opposes Trapeze Legend in the final event. The gelding is first up and he was two wins and two placings from five starts. Southerly Buster has trialled softly at Scone recently and should race well.
There is no doubt that 3-year-old Newy will have the largest cheer squad on and off course when he resumes in the 1150 metre A-Plus Contracting & Poly Welding Maiden Plate. Over 100 owners have already registered to attend. Newy (named after Australia’s 6th largest city) was an impressive runner up at Newcastle in June in his second race start. He is raced by My Racehorse Syndicate together with Kris Lees, his mother Vicki, breeder David Baxter and many Newcastle Jockey Club members and others. Newy is trialling well for the first up assignment.