Wings Of Desire the three quarter sister to champion Winx made it two wins from two starts with an authoritative victory at the Newcastle Jockey Clubs race meeting on Thursday. The 3 year old filly was very impressive in winning a Hawkesbury Fillies and Mares Maiden on debut on July 21 and she went to the barriers as the $2 favourite in the 1250 metre New Era Technology Fillies & Mares Benchmark 64 Handicap on Thursday.
Tommy Berry has ridden the blueblood in both starts and on Thursday after a fast start from the rails barrier he settled her in the third place behind a fast pace. The filly cruised to the lead halfway down the straight and went on to win by just under a length. Michael Freedman a great supporter of the Newcastle track was chosen by successful breeder and owner John Camilleri to train Wings Of Desire the final foal of Winx’s dam Vegas Showgirl which passed away last year at Segenhoe Stud in the Hunter Valley. Wings Of Desire is Vegas Showgirls six winner from six foals to race.
Berry completed a double on the day aboard Wings Of Desire after landing the previous event the 1250 metre Horsepower Maiden Plate on the impressive Bauhinia. The latter is a 3 year old Hellbent filly which caught the eye with a fast finishing second on debut at Canterbury on July 24 after coming from last. The winner is trained by Lee and Cherie Curtis and is raced by a ladies syndicate which includes Cherie and profile owner Christine Cook. Lee Curtis trained the 2016 Victoria Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit for Cook and her husband Frank and that was the only race the filly won. Bauhinia’s easy win indicates she has a bright future as the place getters Māori Chief and Copacabana have bright futures.
Newcastle apprentice Benjamin Osmond continued his recent run of success when he steered the Kris Lees trained mare Lost Illusions to victory in the 1850 metre Kloster Motor Group Maiden Plate. Osmond gave the mare every opportunity to break through for her first win when he put her on the back of the favourite War Ribbon from soon after the start and when War Ribbon hit the front in the straight, Lost Illusions challenged and proved superior winning by three quarters of a length. The Kiwi bred winner is a daughter of New Zealand sire Proisir winner of the 2012 Newcastle 3 Year Old Stakes. It was the flashy chestnuts’ first win in eight starts which included four placings. For Osmond it has been a remarkable six weeks in which he has ridden eight winners including four on Sydney’s Metropolitan tracks. Lost Illusion carried the Lees Racing colours made famous by the late great Max Lees.
Last season NSW Jockeys Premiership winner Ash Morgan combined with Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle to win the New Zealand Bloodstock Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m) with Mondo. The 5 year old won one race from eleven starts when trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent(Jnr) in Victoria. The gelding had been unplaced in two starts during July and he applied blinkers to Mondo on Thursday. It was an easy and gutsy win by Mondo. He was last to leave the barriers and Morgan sent him forward in a hurry to be fifth three wide with no cover. The horse was never on the track but sprinted clear inside the ‘200’ for an easy win. Morgan is shortly heading to Ireland and Wales for a months break to catch up with family.
Randwick trainer John Thompson was the most successful trainer on the day with a double. Hells Itch in the 1500 Metre Davali Thoroughbreds Class 1 Handicap and Montana Dawn in the 1400 meters Lees Racing Super Maiden were the trainers’ winners.