Classy Randwick trained filly All Saints’ Eve will be set for next months $200,000 Group 3 Kembla Classic flowing her easy win at Newcastle on Saturday.
Stepping up to 1600 metres for the first time, All Saints’ Eve was a $1.30 chance in the small Class 1 field and as expected, it was a stroll in the park for the lightly raced three-year-old.
English apprentice Cameron Noble was content to allow the favourite to bowl along at the tail of the field until the top of the straight. She was very strong late as she raced away to win by 2½ lengths unextended.
The New Zealand bred filly has only had five starts and she came to Newcastle in top form with a win and a second at Warwick Farm in her previous two starts. All Saints Eve is part owned by trainer John O’Shea’s wife Isabelle and he was on track.
“This is a very smart filly and we will step her up to Group company on March 13 when she runs in the Kembla Grange Classic. I only started All Saints’ Eve once in her first prep and then I put her away. Patience has paid off and she has matured and has a bright future.
Young Cameron Noble came over from England looking for an opportunity and today’s win was his fourth in seven days. He has a big future,” O’Shea said on Saturday.
Godolphin’s trainer James Cummings has taken the lead in the Australian Bloodstock sponsored Newcastle Trainers Premiership after the royal blue colours were first past the post in three of the eight races on Saturday.
Cummings has trained 12 winners on the Newcastle tracks this season, one ahead of Paul and Peter Snowden. Cummings three winners were all three-year-old fillies and lightly raced. The first of the trio to win was Tahuna in the 1895 metre Maiden Plate.
The daughter of Scone super sire I Am Invincible foiled a plunge on stablemate Maia Nebula which was very unlucky. The Godolphin pair were alongside each other back in the field on the home turn, while Tahuna secured a clear passage halfway down the straight, Maia Nebula backed from $4.40 to $3.00 was checked onto heels and only got clear late.
Another I Am Invincible filly Night Witches, was Godolphin’s second winner when she raced away to win the 1400 metre Maiden Handicap by two lengths.
Phemonoe, a classy lightly raced Godolphin filly displayed guts and determination to win the Class 2 Handicap (1400m). In her only two previous starts at Canterbury she won on debut and then was narrowly beaten in a classy field on February 7.
The sole local winner on the day was the Kris Lees trained Great Danger in the final event the 1200 metre Benchmark 70 Handicap. The four-year-old has an outstanding first up record and in his first start since October, held on to win narrowly from the heavily backed Luna Mia. Great Danger carries the colours of Lees’ Group 1 star Le Romain and is part owned by Lees’ wife Kristy.
Samantha Clenton only had the two rides and was seen at her best on the winner.