Monday’s Newcastle Jockey Club race meeting on the Beaumont track was a favourite punter delight with six favourites successful on the seven-race program. The most impressive winner on the day was the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott trained mare Love And Light which out-classed her opposition in the 1150 metre Dailey Family Funerals Fillies & Mares Maiden Plate. It was the stables only runner and Rachel King made the trip for the one mount.
Love And Light had superior form in previous preparations and the 4-year-old was a $1.30 favourite in her first up start since July. The mare had won a recent Rosehill trial by 3.5 lengths unextended. On Monday when called upon 200 metres from home she sprinted away to win by 4.88 lengths. Love And Light has had a stop start career with two runner up performances at Wyong and Warwick Farm in July 2023. Her third start was an unplaced run at Warwick Farm in January 2024 followed by two starts in June and July 2024.
Last Saturday’s Group 1 winning jockey Ash Morgan took the lead in the NSW Jockey’s Premiership when he steered home the Gosford trained Devine Bene to an easy victory in the 1150 metre NZB Weanlings, 26 June Maiden Plate. A confident Morgan allowed the 4-year-old to sit three wide with no cover outside the two leaders after a slow start but despite the tough run the gelding drew away into the latter stages to win by 1.75 lengths. Adam Duggan trains Devine Bene which was heavily backed into $2.45.
It was Morgans 77th New South Wales winner for the season one ahead of Jean Van Overmeire. Morgan has won the NSW Jockeys Premiership in 2021-22 and 2023-24.
Talented Scone apprentice Mitch Stapleford is one win away from losing his country allowance after piloting the smart mare Kimberley Moon to victory in the 1150 metre TAB APP Country Boosted Benchmark 66 Handicap. Trained by Scott Singleton, the 4-year-old has won four of her past six starts. Stapleford took Kimberley Moon to the front soon after the start and she kicked away halfway down the straight to win by 1.5 lengths. It was the apprentices 34th win for the season.
Another gun apprentice Braith Nock back home with his boss Brett Cavanagh after a successful stint in Sydney rode Cavanagh’s Zoustar mare Sirius Fyler to a convincing win in the 1350 metre Hungerford Hill Wines Country Boosted Maiden Handicap. Nock was keen to lead on the 4-year-old and he did until the 1000 metres mark where he took a sit third on the rail. He drove Sirus Fyler through a gap between the leaders in the straight to the line scoring by three quarters of a length. The winner is a valuable mare as the daughter of successful sire Zoustar from a Snitzel mare.
Taree trainer Glen Milligan successful in recent years with tried horses he has purchased, did it again on Monday with Kiwi bred Love Child winner of the 1200 metre A-Plus Contracting & Poly Welding Class 1 Handicap. Formerly with Chris Waller, Love Child was having her first start for Milligan and former Newcastle jockey Louise Day was in the saddle. It was the mares second win, and both have been on the Beaumont track.