Brazilian jockey Jose Severo based in Newcastle these days continued his impressive strike rate since moving to Australia when he delivered a knockout blow to punters in the opening event at Saturday’s Newcastle Jockey Clubs Legends Race Day.
Severo was aboard Newcastle trainer Rodney Ollerton’s $20 chance Bent As Hell in the 900 metre Craig Philpotts Consulting ‘Kurt Fearnley’ Maiden Plate. Owned by Newcastle businessman and rugby league premiership winner Tony Price, Bent As Hell has placed in four of eight previous starts including two at Newcastle. The 4-year-old was held up in the straight when well beaten on the Newcastle track on December 14. On Saturday the mare enjoyed a lovely trail behind the leaders until the home turn where Severo dragged her around the leading group’s heels, where he was strong in the latter stages to win by half a length.
It was Severo’s tenth winner from forty-eight rides in the country and his second winner in three days after steering Kris Lees So Newchee Thinks to victory at the Kensington track on Wednesday. For Ollerton it was the trainers second winner at Newcastle this week after Movin Denman saluted at Newcastle on Tuesday.
The only other Newcastle trainer celebrating on the day was Jason Deamer who prepared the ultra-consistent Thank We’re There winner of the 1880 metre Franky’s Five 0 ‘Jack Newton’ Super Maiden Plate. The 4-year-old was having his tenth start after four placings, and two starts back he was beaten a head at Newcastle on December 14. Last start he flashed home from way back when beaten a length and a quarter at Canterbury on New Years Day. One of Provincial racings best jockeys Keagan Latham rode Think We’re There and the South African produced a gem of a ride. The 4-year-old raced midfield but halfway down the straight Latham was strung up between runners with nowhere to go. The split came 100 metres out and Tink We’re There sprinted quickly to win by just over a length.
Latham took the riding honours of the day with a double scoring earlier in the day aboard Kim Waugh’s filly Mizella in the 1600 metre Doyle Racing ‘Gary Harley’ Benchmark 68 Handicap. Mizella was impressive in an easy Newcastle win on January 10 and the well-bred filly was a $4.80 chance on Saturday. Latham allowed the filly to stroll along in last place and he steered her to the outside of the field at the top of the straight. It took her the length of the straight to wear the leaders down to win on the post.
Visiting Irish jockey Ronan Whelan backed up his initial win on this track on Tuesday with another win on Saturday aboard the $19 chance Canny Queen in the Velich Bros Memorial Thanks For The Memories Benchmark 64 Handicap. The Brad Widdup trained filly came from well back on the turn to win running away by half a length.
The Newcastle Jockey Club backs up with the Ryan Ansell Investments Race Day next Saturday February 1.