Gary Harley
Newcastle trained 3-year-old Buffalo and Wyong mare Oakfield Jupiter will contest the $1million Racing NSW Provincial-Midway Championship Final at Randwick on April 11 after the pair quinellaed the Newcastle Qualifier on Saturday. Buffalo which had performed very well against the high quality two-year-olds in Group events last season is trained on the Newcastle track by David Atkins and he was the only three-year-old in the eleven horse field.
The win was a training triumph for Atkins as the gelding had not raced for ten months. Buffalo is raced by his breeder, Newcastle businessman Matt Chidgey, and last April was only beaten a neck in the Group 1 Sires Produce at Randwick when ridden by Zac Purton.
Aaron Bullock rode Buffalo, the heavily backed $2.90 favourite in Saturdays Qualifier and he raced midfield on the rail before Bullock eased him one off the rail around the 600 metre mark. The 3-year-old sprinted to the lead 200 metres from home however he had to withstand a strong finish from Oakfield Jupiter to win by less than half a length. Bullock had ridden the winner in three recent barrier trials and he was elated on returning to scale “He has had a couple of setbacks but the blinkers on today worked wonders”, the leading jockey said.
Kris Lees’ Lord Of Biscay, the well backed $4.40 second favourite lost no admirers with a strong finishing third just over a length from the winner. He had no luck after a slow beginning from his horror outside barrier and the 6-year-old was first up for three months. Lord Of Biscay, runner up in the 2025 Provincial-Midway Final will attempt to qualify for April’s $1million final by contesting one of the remaining Qualifiers or the Wild Card at Newcastle on March 30.
It was a profitable day for the Chidgey-Atkins combination as Buffalo’s half sister landed a huge plunge in the opening event the 900 metre Lovey’s Grocers IGA Super 2YO Maiden Plate. The TAB’s Tim Ryan reported on Sky Thoroughbred Central that the stables unraced filly Potomac River was backed from $15 into $4.80 before her easy win. Jockey Christian Reith utilised the filly’s speed and from the rails barrier raced on the speed before taking the lead on straightening. The winner appeared in trouble half way down the straight when Ciaron Mahers colt Barracks, the $3 favourite challenged, however he veered off the track and went down by 1 ¾ lengths.
It was a successful day for Newcastle trainers as Mark Minervini and Kris Lees also trained a winner during the meeting. Minervini’s 4-year-old Shall Be was backed from $4.60 into $2.10 in the 900 metre Dillion and Sons Dungog Dash Benchmark 68 Handicap and the result was never in doubt. Relishing the soft 5 track Shall Be with Coffs Harbour apprentice Grady Spokes in the saddle led throughout to win by 3.9 lengths.
Lees promising Kiwi bred 3-year-old filly Via Flaminia won her second race in four starts with an impressive win in the 1300 metre Settlers Arms Dungog Cup. The $3.40 favourite was ridden by stable apprentice William Stanley.