New Zealand trainer Richard Collett who moved his stable of horses from the Auckland region to Warwick Farm in 2022 trained his second Newcastle winner at the Port Stephens Cup Race Day on Tuesday. Collett, father of top jockeys Jason and Alysha Collett trained 688 winners in New Zealand including 27 black type victories.
Seven-year-old Whetu’s last win was at Wyong more than twelve months ago but there was support for Collett’s son of Dundeel in the opening event, the Vale Ben Smith Benchmark 64 Handicap (2200m) on Tuesday. With Newcastle apprentice Ben Osmond in the saddle he was backed from $11.00 into $8.00 on race day and Osmond allowed Whetu to settle mid field from the outset. The stayer started to unwind from the top of the straight and with an uninterrupted passage Whetu ran the leaders down to win by a head.
It was the geldings sixth win and first from five starts at Newcastle. It was Collett’s thirty third Australian win and Osmonds 118th career win and the current season has been his best with 57 winners, 21 on Metro tracks.
Local trainers Paul Perry and Mark Minervini both trained a winner at the meeting. In a major shock to punters, Perry’s $61 chance Ngunnawal stormed home in the latter stages to win the 1600 metre The Sporting Hope Association Provincial Maiden Handicap by .9 of a length. The gelding did not beat a horse home in his only two previous starts when beaten 16.32 and 6.68 lengths at Scone and Wyong. Talented Central Coast apprentice Anna Ropa gave the 3-year-old a patient ride and after being near last halfway down the straight Ngunnawal sprouted wings to win by a length.
It was Ropa’s 73rd win for the season. Which comes to an end at the end of July.
Minervini’s 3-year-old filly Tickle Me Pink, another friendless with punters, confirmed her potential with an easy win in the final event the 1200 metre TAB App Midway Class 1 Handicap. The filly has had four starts this preparation and arguably could have won all four. She was a clear last on the turn when narrowly beaten first up at Gosford on a bog track on May 29. The filly went to the post with plenty in hand after being held up at Muswellbrook on June 13. Tickle Me Pink won easily at Port Macquarie on June 24 and on Tuesday after racing on the leaders’ heels, she won effortlessly.
Sydney based trainers dominated the meeting with six of the eight winners. Chris Waller’s UK import Starry Desert was an impressive winner in the 1400 metre Destination Port Stephens Cup in his first Australian start. Backed form $4.40 into $2.80 the 3-year-old with Braith Nock in the saddle raced in fourth place on the rail and the Scone apprentice drove him up the inside of the field in the straight. Ridden out hands and heels Starry Desert held on to win narrowly.
The Master Builders Association Race Day is the NJC’s next meeting on Saturday August 2.