Gary Harley
The feature event on the second day of the Newcastle Jockey Club’s Spring Carnival on Saturday is the J&H Commercial Ladies Day Cup, and the race has attracted a capacity field. The Matthew Smith trained Silencio Porfavor is knocking on the door after two recent Metro placings and a close second last start at Wyong on September 4.
The 3kg apprentice Izzy Neale rode the gelding at Wyong, and she has the mount on Saturday. Silencio Porfavor was first to leave the barriers at Wyong and Neale eased him back to fifth place to gain a nice trail. He didn’t appear to handle the home turn, but he flashed home late to go down by half a length, the five-year-old bolted in by 3.5 lengths on the Newcastle track in June and two of his three wins have been on good 4 rating tracks.
Three-year-old filly Excellina resumes from a spell in the opening event the 900 metres Klosters Midway Maiden Plate and she has blinkers for the first time. She has been placed in three of five starts and in her last start at Canterbury in June Excelluna finished third. The filly has contested two recent barrier trials, and she finished a close second in a Randwick trial on September 11 after racing keen. Leading Provincial Jockey Keagan Latham has the mount for Richard and Will Freedman.
Chris Waller is sending a promising colt Klocke to Newcastle for his first up run from a spell in the 1250 metre Pukura Super Maiden Plate. The son of top sire Zoustar debuted at Canterbury on June 8 and after being heavily backed was beaten a head. His only other start was in the Listed Tatts Stakes at Eagle Farm on June 27 when beaten a nose. Klocke has only trialled once recently with James McDonlad in the saddle at Rosehill on September 8 and he was narrowly beaten under no pressure. Coolmore and Chris Waller share the ownership with many others and Lee Magorian rides the colt.
Michael Freedman’s lightly raced 3-year-old filly Esnard placed in her only two starts should break through in the 1250 metre Pro Torque Fillies and Mares Maiden. She debuted in a 900-metre Newcastle Maiden on August 13 and came from second last to finish third in a race won by Amajicstar which has since won again. Last start at Gosford on August 28 Esnaad charged home to finish second to the very speedy Temptation. She is looking for this trip on the spacious track, and she is another good ride for Keagan Latham.
The Arrowfield trained promising stayer Joika will be ridden by Aaron Bullock in the 2300 metre Gateshead Traffic Solutions Benchmark 64 Handicap and the son of Maurice will be hard to beat. A last start Scone winner by 3.5 lengths on September 1 Joika was narrowly beaten over a shorter trip on this track on August 1.