Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle’s striking colt Private Harry was the shining light at the Newcastle Jockey Club’s eight race program on Saturday. It was the 3-year-olds debut in the 900 metre First National Super Maiden Plate after four impressive barrier trial wins.
The TAB priced Private Harry at $1.90 on Thursday but an avalanche of support for him saw his odds tumble to $1.55 when barriers opened. As expected in the short course event the pace was a cracker from the outset and jockey Ash Morgan elected to trail the three leaders until the top of the straight. The colt cruised past the leaders 250 metres from home and with a couple of light taps to keep his mind on the job, Private Harry raced away to win by 3.44 lengths. The track was rated a soft 7 after early morning showers yet Private Harry posted a slick 50-77 with a blistering 32.17 in the last 600 metres. The speedy Zoe Shark won the Benchmark 64 over the same trip in 50-86 -last 600 metres in 32.34.
Doyle completed a double for the meeting when his heavily backed Kiwi bred 4-year-old Irish Bliss resumed from a spell with an easy all the way win in the 1300 metre Elders Insurance Class 1 Handicap. Bred and part owned by Gerry Harvey, the $2.25 favourite led from the outset and never looked in danger scoring by 1.38 lengths with Sydney jockey Lee Magorian aboard. Doyle also trained the third placegetter Ace’s In Bloom.
Saturday kicked off an exciting five days for Doyles Racing as he has Overriding in the $3million Big Dance at Randwick on Tuesday and Group 1 placegetter Harlem Queen heading to Melbourne for the Group 1 VRC Oaks on Thursday.
The Hawkes family, great supporters of Newcastle racing since John moved to Sydney from Adelaide many years ago, also put their stamp on the meeting with a double. Lady Savannah was the first of the stable’s winners in the 1300 metre Huxley Hill Maiden Handicap. The filly a daughter of champion sire Snitzel put the writing on the wall in her previous start at Kembla when coming from last in the straight for a closing fourth. Heavily backed into $3.50 on Saturday, the 3-year-old raced in midfield before she powered home along the inside to run down favorite Absurd in the closing stages.
The Hawkes team sent favourite backers home happy when lightly raced filly Invincible Emma a $2.30 chance raced by close friends Arrowfield Stud owner John Messara and former leading Sydney trainer Dr Geoff Chapman saluted in the final event the 1600 metre Hunt Hospitality Class 1 Handicap. Chapman, who played test matches for the Wallabies in his younger days resides in Queensland these days and was a medical practitioner in Dubbo before training two AJC Derby winners Dr Grace and Myocard. Invincible Emma won a Newcastle Maiden on debut in May, and she was second up on Saturday.
The filly settled third last in the strung-out small field before Mitchell Bell eased her to the outside at the top of the straight and she gathered in the leaders to win by 2.1 lengths.
It is full steam ahead for the Group 2 The Newcastle Herald Hunter Race Day on Saturday November 16.