TAREE trainer Ross Stitt and Port Macquarie apprentice jockey Cejay Graham combined for a winning double at Manning Valley Race Club’s TAB meeting at Taree on Monday.
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They were successful with Syrah ($6) in the Hydra Hose Class 2 Handicap over 1600m and with El Casco ($3.60 to $2.90) in the Hannam Vale Cup 15 March Benchmark 58 Handicap over 2000m.
Stitt’s Editors ($2.80) was less than a length away in third behind consistent local mare Valbeata ($3) in the feature Winning Post Function Centre Benchmark 66 Handicap over 1250m. He also had a third with resuming I’ll Take Money ($101) behind Scone mare Lips ‘N’ Lashes ($7) in the TAB.Com.Au Class 3 Handicap over 1000m.
Five-year-old gelding Syrah, owned by Stitt’s wife, Winsome, put in a scintillating sprint from 10 lengths back and wide on the turn to gun down Coffs Harbour gelding Takarakka, trained by Aiden St Vincent, to score by a quarter of a length.
Stitt said jockey Digger McLellan told him the galloper in running fourth the previous week should have won but for a wide barrier.
Graham smothered the gelding near the back of the field and on the fence early before eventually working her way to the outside of the field for a terrific sprint.
“I got wider and wider and he hit the line well,” Graham said.
It was the gelding’s third win in 27 starts and the $17,000 purchase price is proving a cheap buy as winnings jump to nearly $40,000.
Graham also rode El Casco for a just under a length first win at start 21 for a bunch of owners including race club chairman Greg Coleman.
She gave the four-year-old gelding a beautiful trail behind the leader, popped him off the fence entering the straight before “he found the line.
“He has been a work in progress with Ross changing his gear to get this win.”
Part-owner Doug MacLean said El Casco had proven “frustrating” for owners and “he finally put his mind on the job.”
Stitt said El Casco had “changed its attitude and is now a normal horse.”
Four seconds in a row was rewarded with a half-length win by Valbeata for trainer Bob Milligan despite the mare being three-wide for most of the journey.
Milligan’s son, Glen, said it was a tough win and he was glad she had come back in solid form.
He said back-in-town jockey Matt Bennett’s strong riding managed to get the best out of the mare.
She may start again at Taree on Monday or be set for the $60,000 Queen Of The North over 1200m at Port Macquarie on January 25.
It was a good meeting for Mid North Coast gallopers with Taree six-year-old mare Eyebea Danser ($3.40), trained by Michael Byers and ridden by Robert Thompson, scoring its second race in a row in the MVRC Conference Packages Class 2 Handicap over 1300m.
The mare came from the outside barrier to settle just behind the leader before scoring by just over a length.
Five-year-old mare Lips ‘N’ Lashes, trained at Scone by Brett Cavanough was a lucky pick-up ride for Amelia Denby.
Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan kept up her good strike rate at the track with a just over two lengths win by four-year-old mare Grand Exit ($3.60) which led all the way for jockey Josh Adams in the De Bortoli Wines Maiden Plate over `1250m.
“She is still learning but plan “A” to lead paid off,” she said.
Gosford trainer Gregory McFarlane also had a win with Miss Eimar ($4.60) which led all the way for jockey Adrian Layt in the XXXX Gold Maiden 1000m.
Racing returns to Taree on Monday for a seven-race TAB meeting conducted by Manning Valley Race Club.
