Central Coast based jockey Tim Clark rode his second Group 3 Horsepower Newcastle Stakes winner on Friday. In 2023 Clark steered the Waterhouse-Bott trained Cross Talk to victory and on Friday he was aboard the Bjorn Baker trained Sandpaper, the heavily backed $3 second favourite. Recognised as Sydney’s best front-running jockey there was a similarity between the tactics employed by Clark on both his Newcastle Stakes winners. Both horses led all the way with the popular jockey giving Cross Talk and Sandpaper full rein at the top of the straight after a comfortable run up front.
Sandpaper is a former Godolphin galloper purchased by Darby Racing for $130,000 in an Inglis Digital platform in September 2024. The horse then joined the Bjorn Baker stable and has since banked $294,000 in prizemoney from two wins and three placings from five starts. Clark said Sandpaper went into the race in fantastic form. “He has been racing in fantastic form. Scott Darby and the team have a great knack of buying these tried horses. He was there to be beaten today but he kept responding. I just wanted to use a bit of that fitness he had on his side to test a few of the better class horses behind that were early in their preparation.” Clark said following the Newcastle Stakes.
Runner up Amenable which flashed home to go down narrowly was gallant under his top weight. He was resuming after two disappointing performances during the Spring and he is a quality galloper when at his top.
Clark also piloted $31 chance Maybe Moet to victory for Chris Waller in the 1200 metre Living Turf Maiden Plate earlier in the day.
A number of graduates from the Paul Perry 2-Year-Old Handicap in recent years have gone on to win feature races with Broadsiding the best of them. The 2025 edition brought together a quality field of youngsters most of which were from Sydney’s leading stables.
The previously unraced Next Jen, a daughter of Ole Kirk, upset the more fancied runners to win impressively for Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald. The filly raced in mid field and after a slight check half way down the straight Chad Schofield put her into the clear and the filly gathered in the favourite, Napoleonic, to win by more than a length running away. The runner up also has a bright future as he was left in front until late and will be better suited ridden off the pace.
Neasham and Archibald combined with Schofield to win with Presley in the previous race the 2300 metre Williams Designer Homes Benchmark 64 Handicap.
Newcastle trainer Rebecca Dunn was emotional when Jason Collett rode her mare Inferencia to victory in the 1500 metre Lees Racing Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap. “She is extra special to me because I bred her. She has been a terrific mare and she has now won $120,000” Dunn said. That was her second win at Newcastle in six starts.
The Newcastle Jockey Club held the annual International Women’s Day function on the track on Newcastle Stakes Day and close over 300 tickets were sold for the function. Para-surfing champion Sam Bloom was guest speaker and the day raised funds for not for profits Jenny’s Place and Grow A Star.