Gary Harley
Newcastle Hunter Hall Of Fame trainer Paul Perry trained his third winner in six days when his 5-year-old mare Cosy Corner came from near last at the top of the straight to snatch victory in the shadows of the post in the 1250 metre Benchmark 68 Handicap at Saturday’s Newcastle Jockey Club race meeting. Perry was successful with Totoka at Wyong the previous Sunday and Harlex at Gosford on Thursday and Cosy Corners victory was the evergreen trainers 29th for the current season and the incredible 3013th career win for the multiple Group 1 winning trainer.
Cosy Corner was placed without winning in four of six previous starts on the home track however she was a $6 chance on Saturday with Mikayla Weir in the saddle. The mare has no speed and Weir steered her towards the outside from down the long straight and she unwound to take her prizemoney in excess of $300,000. It was appropriate that Perry trained a winner only days before famous Royal Ascot Carnival in England. It was in 2003 that Perry set the racing world alight when his sprinter Choisir won the Group 1 double the Kingsford Smith Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes.
Nathan Doyle, enjoying another successful season, was the only other Newcastle trainer successful at the meeting. Funshow racing in the Kurrinda Bloodstock colours carried to victory in last years Group 1 galaxy for the Doyle trained Private Harry made a one act affair of the 1300 metre Ben “Gucci” Potts Super Maiden Plate. In the small field Jean Van Overmier took Funshow to the lead from the start and he cruised home to win by 4.85 lengths. It was the 3-year-olds first win after four placings from four previous starts.
Multiple Provincial Jockey’s Premiership winner Keagan Latham took the riding honours with a double taking the South African to 81.5 winners for the season. Latham’s double included a well-deserved victory by the Australian Bloodstock owned and Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou trained Alnair in the 1890 metre Bill Round Maiden Plate. The jockey’s other winner was the well backed $3.10 favourite Attractiveness in the 1250 metre Signature Stables Australia Class 1 Handicap. The filly bred in New Zealand had very good form last preparation and she went into the race following two impressive barrier trials.
It was a very successful day for the female jockeys with the ladies riding five of the eight winners. Mikayla Weir and Ellen Hennessy who book ended the meeting are fully fledged jockeys while three apprentices Leeshelle Small, Claire Ramsbotham and Oliva Dalton were successful.
The next Newcastle race meeting is the Newcastle Cystic Fibrosis Race Day on Saturday June 27.