Jason Collett’s decision to accept mounts at Tuesdays Newcastle meeting was vindicated when the former Kiwi rode three winners and two placings from a full book of eight mounts. Collett has had a flying start to the 2024-25 season with 25 winners in two months and one day of the season.
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher booked Collett to ride the talented colt Force Red in the 900 metre The Advisor Collective Maiden Plate and the 3-year-olds 2.61 lengths victory was the most impressive of the meeting. Force Red’s only previous start was in the Group 3 Breeders Plate at Randwick in September 2023 when trained by Peter and Paul Snowden. He was beaten just over a length by the talented Espionage that day.
Since entering Maher’s stable the colt had been impressive in two Warwick Farm trials. On Tuesday Force Red was an easing $2.40 second favourite Enhance. However, after Force Red bounded out in front when the barriers opened it was a one act affair with a sizzling 32.32 last 600 metres on a soft 5 track.
The Sam Kavanagh trained Lady Ichikawa finally broke through for a well deserved first win in the opening event the 1250 metre Red Funnel Food Distributors Maiden Plate. With Collett in the saddle the $1.95 favourite slotted in worse than midfield with the speed on up front. Still a long way back the mare was held up for clear running at the top of the straight but when clear she unleashed with a powerful finish to win by 1.22 lengths. Lady Ichikawa had been placed in her previous five starts and it certainly was a change of luck for horse, trainer and owners.
Collett’s third winner was the lightly raced Wyong 3-year-old filly Titanium Miss which led from soon after the start to win the 1250 metre Allied The Careful Movers Benchmark 64 Handicap. It was the Tracey Bartley trained filly’s second win in four starts and it won’t be her last. Titanium Miss was the subject of the unusual steward’s report when beaten a length at Kembla in her previous start. It was a very windy Kembla day and stewards reported “The winds had an effect on her performance and the meeting was later postponed”.
The training partnership of Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald combined with inform jockey Tom Sherry to land a double and both winners Firm Agreement and Yoshinobu were very impressive. Firm Agreement put the writing on the wall when a close second on debut in a Newcastle Maiden on September 3 when he sat outside the leader. In contrast on Tuesday the 3-year-old was last to leave the barriers, but Sherry did not panic and allowed the gelding to settle at the tail of the field. The jockey steered Firm Agreement into the clear, but he was along way off the leaders. He powered home late to nail the leading trio on the line.
Sherry produced a gem of a ride to win the final event the 1250-meter Dailey Family Funerals Benchmark 64 Handicap on Yoshinobu. The colt began fast, settled third on the rail before cruising around the leader at the top of the straight before racing clear to win by more than two lengths.
The Newcastle track again stood tall after 42 millimeters of rain in the week leading up to the transferred meeting. A heavy 8 on Monday, a soft 6 on Tuesday morning and upgrading to a soft 5 after race 2.
Racing again this Saturday October 5 with the Brydens Lawyers Tooheys Newcastle Rugby League Race Day.