Godolphin two-year-old Limahuli landed a hefty plunge when successful in the Toronto Workers Club Super Maiden Plate (900m) at the annual Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation race day at the Newcastle Racecourse on Saturday. A home bred the gelding was beaten a total of more than twenty lengths in his previous three starts early in the year. However, two recent trials indicated he was capable of a positive first up performance in inferior class to his previous opposition.
James Cummings stable representative Darren Beadman was at Newcastle on Saturday and when interviewed prior to the race he was confident Limahuli would run well. TAB representative Tim Ryan on Sky Racing said prior to the race that the juvenile was backed from $7.50 to $3.20. Limahuli was ridden by Jean Van Overmeire who rode two winners on the day and his ride on Limahuli was faultless.
The gelding was slow away, but Overmeire drove him along the rail behind the leaders soon after. There was plenty of room for Limahuli to hug the rail inside the leader in the straight and he was ridden out to win by just under a length.
Overmeire rode the previous winner Sukida, trained by Sam Kavanagh. The filly was on debut in the Belmont 16’s 2&3yo Maiden Handicap (900m) after winning her only trial at Wyong on June 19. Sukida settled in a group behind the leaders, and she wound up late in the race to win by 1.33 lengths. Overmeire is enjoying his best season with 98 winners to date.
Debbie Kepitis, part owner of the champion mare Winx, and breeder and owner of the current seasons triple Group 1 winner Riff Rocket has another promising filly in Codetta, impressive winner of the Club Macquarie 2yo Maiden Handicap (1200m). Codetta is a half-sister to Riff Rocket, winner of this seasons Victoria and ATC Derby and was bred by Kepitis. The filly trained by Michael Freedman put the writing on the wall with an eye-catching debut over the Newcastle 900m on June 22. Codetta was a $61 chance on debut and after being well backed and badly held up in the straight finished full of running to finish fourth, 1.33 lengths from the winner.
Andrew Gibbons rode Codetta first up and he had the mount on Saturday over a more suitable trip. The filly was first out of the barrier and Gibbons allowed a couple to lead her and Codetta had a lovely run third on the rail. In the clear at the top of the straight she reached the lead inside the last 100m and held off a late challenge to win by a nose.
Kris Lees produced a smart two-year-old filly Lutetia, an easy winner of the Mex Club 2yo Maiden Handicap (1200m). Bred and raced by Coolmore who stand the filly’s sire Justify at stud in the Hunter Valley, Lutetia led after 200m and when Gibbons gave her full rein at the top of the straight the filly put three lengths on the opposition. Well backed from $5.50 into $3.40 Lutetia won by 1.29 lengths.
Scone apprentice Mitch Stapleford rode his 43rd winner for the season when successful on his boss Scott Singleton’s mare Outishka in the HBCF Pink Day Cup Benchmark 64 Handicap (900m). A model of consistency, the four-year-old has had eleven starts for four wins and five placings. All four wins have been over the 900m trip. Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle also trained a winner on Saturday when $12 chance Ambassadors won the Beresfield Bowling Club Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m).
Aaron Bullock was dislodged from his mount in race six just prior to the winning post. He has a fractured clavicle and is expected to have surgery this week. With the 2023-24 season coming to an end on July 31 Bullock leads the NSW Jockeys Premiership with 137 winners, 7.5 winners ahead of Ash Morgan following Saturday’s meeting.