AN interesting program of six races brought the 2013/14 racing season to an end for the Sapphire Coast Turf Club last Saturday, and as usual our Moruya runners and riders played a major role in the proceedings.
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The meeting kicked off with a Maiden mile which was taken out by Queanbeyan visitor Phoebe Irene.
Colbey Hill’s Lighty Tonighty ran on strongly on the slow surface under Roly Saxton’s urging to claim a close third placing.
Roly then rode Frank Cleary’s Queanbeyan-based Hawaiian Heart to victory in the following Benchmark 55 (900m) sprint, with Maddy Wright getting another Queanbeyan visitor in Mcgovern home for a close third for trainer Tom Wilson.
The next event, a Maiden over 1250m, with big field of twelve, was the headline - grabbing race for our young trainer Steve Cummins when his three-year-old filly Superb, by Bel Esprit, came home brilliantly to score victory by a length.
Neil Perryman rode Sammy Vella’s Place Des Vosges into third place in the event. It’s wonderful to see another young Moruya trainer in the winner’s circle with both Superb and Steve scoring their first win.
Steve’s only had his training licence for a few months now and superb has been his only runner to date.
The filly had six runs in Victoria before coming into Steve’s care.
Her first run for Steve was on May 4 at the Sapphire Coast track and her second run netted a promising third placing at Nowra on May 25.
Saturday’s race was just the fifth for Steve and now they’ve both broken through the Maiden status in a very short time.
Congratulations also go the whole Cummins family who have been an integral part of Moruya racing for as long as I can remember.
The first Moruya trifecta of the afternoon followed after the running of the Class three (1250m) race, where Brett Jones’ mare Macks Swiftly steamed home out wide like Bernborough to claim a very strong victory by almost a length on the line.
Mark Macdonald’s Abishadow finished a close second, with Luke Pepper’s Aurora Lass a few lengths behind in third.
Well done to Brett and Mrs J Jones.
Tash Burleigh rode John Marzol’s Flying Impulse for second in race five, a Class one over 1400m, taken out by Joe Cleary’s Legal Tender, before the second Moruya trifecta came about in the closing Benchmark 65 (1400m) event.
Luke’s Sydney Melody led for most of the race but was collared late by John Marzol’s Daryl, ridden beautifully by a new, young, four-kilo-claiming apprentice Carly Frater.
John Law’s Four Fortyfour had to weave through the pack up the straight from well back to claim a strong and closing third placing.
John Law finished the season with a close second placing in the Trainer’s Premiership behind visitor Donna Grisedale.
Congratulations to all concerned at the Sapphire Coast Turf Club for another great season of racing.
Just a reminder that our last meeting of the season takes place at the Moruya Jockey Club on Monday, July 28.
Steve Stephen’s Bay Cup winner Baldovino stepped out in the last race at provincial Kembla Grange on Tuesday, a Benchmark 75 (1400m) event.
Tash Burleigh was in the saddle again and took Baldovino to the lead where he stayed for most of the race, until being claimed late by Gwenda Markwell’s Corryvreckan and Gai Waterhouse’s The Baronet to be relegated to a magnificent third, holding on bravely to the line.
I’ll be keen to follow him again.
John’s Code Word raced at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, with Kathy O’Hara aboard, but finished unplaced in the Benchmark 70 (1300m) event.
John’s Drama Lodge (race two), John Peiti’s Brown Bob, Matt Stephen’s Intimate Kingdom (race four) and Chicka Pearson’s stake Knife (race seven) are our Moruya runners at Canberra today, and Roly will be riding there.
Until next week, good luck and good punting.
