Irishman Lee Magorrian produced a career best performance at the NJC race meeting on Saturday when he rode four winners on the eight-race program. Magorrian, who is attached to the Chris Waller stable, rode the first four winners including a treble for Waller.
The popular jockey arrived in Australia three and a half years ago and he estimates he has ridden around 130 winners in that time. Magorrian kicked off the day with a smart front running ride on the Gai Waterhouse/ Adrian Bott trained Yellowstone ($2.70) in the PFD Food Services 1865 metres Maiden Handicap. The three-year-old was backed from double figures into $3.10 when a struggling fourth on debut at Gosford two weeks ago.
The Waller trained Hot Spring Gold ($6), was allowed to drop out to last by Magorrian in the New Zealand Bloodstock CG&E 1200 metre Maiden before storming home to win by three-quarters of a length.
The most impressive of the Magorrian / Waller treble was the lightly raced filly Grace And Harmony in the 1400 metre Hungerford Hill Maiden Handicap. Backed as if unbeatable, the three-year-old was given a gun run fourth on the rail by the Irishman and she raced away late for an easy win.
The Waller trained Gravity Zero was the $2.40 favourite in race four the Yarraman Park 1200 metre Fillies & Mares Maiden Plate however, it was the champion trainers Pretty Elsa which came from well back to give Magorrian his fourth win.
The jockey discussed his quartet of winners after race four. “When I was allowed to dictate in front on Yellowstone he was always going to win. It was only his second start and he will get further. Hot Spring Gold can get a bit hot in the mounting yard and I went out with the intention of riding him cold and he had the last crack at them. He can race well in metropolitan mid-week company.
Grace And Harmony is a promising stayer and hit the line hard today, I like her a lot. Pretty Elsa was in an awkward spot at the top of the straight and I had to force out and she produced a good finish. This day has been the highlight of my career and I love riding on the big Newcastle track.
I did ride three winners one day in New Zealand. The support from Chris Waller has been great,” Magorrian said.
Scone trained Hit The Target, will head to the Tamworth Cup in two weeks’ time after his easy all the way win in the Sage Painting 1200 metre Benchmark 68 Handicap. Bred by Gerry Harvey, the six-year-old has been a good money spinner for the syndicate which purchased the gelding. Hit The Target has won $223,000 on the track.