Port Macquarie review, 31 May 2021
There is no better thrill than an initial victory and this was the story for the connections of Pollard following a dashing display in the De Bortoli Wines Maiden Plate at Port Macquarie on Monday.
The son of Love Conquers All had shown plenty of promise early in his career and had amassed eight placings and plenty of followers with an exciting pattern of racing on the speed and trying to sustain a large lead in the home straight.
Patience and perseverance from former prominent North Coast jockey and now expert trainer, Robert Agnew, came to fruition when the gelding was able to lead throughout to break his maiden status in dominant fashion.
Kirk Matheson drove the flashy chestnut gelding straight to the lead before dictating terms and repelling the finishing charge of McNair for success after twenty two race appearances.
McNair met with sensational betting activity from followers of the Allan Denham stable but nothing was going to dampen the day for supporters of Pollard when Matheson was able to pass the post with a length margin to spare.
Following victory on Bajan Gold in the Gunnedah Gold Cup on Sunday, Dylan Gibbons continued his great riding form when Super Ted stormed down the outside to claim victory over Nahomes in the opening event for Coffs Harbour trainer, David Matts.
Clayton Gallagher was able to manoeuvre Apache Belle along the rails to provide Wayne Seelin with a well deserved success in the following event while Jet Pack was able to stave off the late challenges of Bladnoch and Two Gems to land the prize for the Nathan Doyle and Ashley Morgan combination in the Maiden Plate.
A grandstand finish in the John Oxley Motors Benchmark 58 Handicap resulted in Jeff Penza weaving a path through the centre on Bozeman to reel in Black Jacamar and withstand the finishing burst of Alpha Go and score a decisive victory.
Darryl McLellan continued the recent strike rate for the Damien Lane stable when Oakfield Prince was able to score for favourite punters in race six while Oh Say came from well back in the field before Louise Day finished down the outside to score on the Neil Godbolt trained filly.
There was high drama before the last event when Glowing Red lunged forward and burst through the barrier stall before the start was affected and was deemed a non-runner by the course veterinary officials.
Sam Clenton sustained some pain and swelling to her left hand in the incident and will be monitored by medical officials following an extensive initial examination.
Two Up came with a strong run down the outside section of the track to provide successive wins at the track for the David Atkins stable and take Chad Lever to 45 wins and 86 placings in the current NSW riding premiership statistics.
Racing was conducted under relatively fine skies with the soft track conditions having a lush covering of grass and provided winners from various positions in running.
Races on the program carried the names of Schweppes, Stowe Australia, Barrier Signs, De Bortoli Wines, John Oxley Motors, Fastplast Building Supplies and Carlton Dry with the club hoping everyone will continue to support these fine brands.
The Wauchope Jockey Club present the next race meeting to be conducted at the Port Macquarie track with their cup and sprint day scheduled for Sunday 20th June.
This is always a great day of racing with all classes of racing catered for and total prizemoney of $186,000 up for grabs.
A reminder that Port Macquarie Race Club can now accept your Dine & Discover Vouchers at the Bistro on Race Day and have a fantastic $25 Luncheon available
Review
Race 1 –SCHWEPPES MAIDEN HCP (1500 M)
Lookonchina tightened a point in market operations and was dispatched as ruling favourite with Hooyah attracting plenty of support while Prince Six and Oakfield Warpaint were drifting equal third elects.
Super Ted travelled wide for most of the event before Dylan Gibbons hooked the David Matts trained gelding down the outside section of the track to finish over the top of the early pacemakers, Lookonshina and Oakfield Warpaint, and score by a long neck.
Mahomes came from well back to sneak along the inside to claim second in front of Oakfield Warpaint with Lookonchina yielding ground over the concluding stages while Hooyah was trapped deep throughout the event before finishing sixth.
Race 2 – STOWE AUSTRALIA BM 58 HCP (2000 M)
Apache Belle was the firm favourite with plenty of confidence around Flying Mojo as the pair dominated betting activities from Schoona the Better while there was no support for Hanna from Havana on the next line of betting.
Apache Belle camped behind the leaders for the majority of the event before working along the inside of Phylave in the straight to take the lead with the Wayne Seelin trained mare able to withstand the finishing effort of Flying Mojo to score by around a length.
Schoona the Better loomed as a chance around the two hundred metre mark before weakening over the concluding stages with Hanna from Havana hooking wide in the run home before finishing well back.
Race 3 – BARRIER SIGNS MAIDEN PLATE (1200 M)
Just Like Lisa was sent to the barrier as ruling elect with strong support around Jet Pack while Two Gems was backed at each way prices in front of Flying Scotsman around the double figure quote.
Jet Pack settled just behind the pace shown by Flying Scotsman and Broad Outlook before Ash Morgan hooked the son of Fastnet Rock clear down the home running to score a decisive victory.
Bladnoch and Two Gems came down the outside in the straight and battled on well to claim the minor placings with Just Like Lisa coming from a fair way back in the run to finish in fourth position while Flying Scotsman wilted late.
Race 4 – DE BORTOLI WINES MAIDEN PLATE (1000 M)
The biggest move of the day centred around the chances of McNair with the Allan Denham trained gelding tightening two points to claim favouritism from Not Taking It with Pollard a firm third pick in front of A Tender Lady.
Pollard worked hard in the early stages to claim his customary role in the lead and the son of Love Conquers All was able to kick clear rounding the home bend and withstand the finishing burst of McNair to score by a length.
Not Taking It settled in the second half of the field and finished off the race well to claim the minor prize from Slippin Season with A Tender Lady saving valuable ground along the rails before finishing just behind the placegetters,
Race 5 – JOHN OXLEY MOTORS BM 58 HCP (1000 M)
Black Jacamar was the firm favourite for the race from Alpha Go, who eased out almost two points, with Golden Fantasy and Makana attracting some support at value prices.
Bozeman camped behind Black Jacamar and Golden Fantasy before the Andrew Parramore trained gelding burst through the centre of the leaders in the straight and survive the finishing effort of Alpha Go to score a decisive victory.
Black Jacamar led for the vast majority of the event before being claimed by the ultimate winner over the concluding stages with Makana finishing the race off well down the outside to relegate Golden Fantasy into fifth position.
Race 6 – FASTPLAST BUILDING SUPPLIES CLASS 2 HCP (1500 M)
Oakfield Prince drifted a point but was able to cling onto the popular position with a late rally of support for Dr Copper on the second line of betting while Prince Arli shortened noticeably from New York Nick and Greenskeeper.
Following the late scratching of Beyond Mars at the barrier stalls, Darryl McLellan positioned Oakfield Prince just off the pace before racing clear from Prince Arli and Luftwaffe down the home running to score by a length margin.
Concave worked home well to cut Prince Arli out of second prize with Greenskeeper responsible for a sound effort to finish behind the placings while Dr Copper and New York Nick failed to fire and were well back throughout.
Race 7 – WAUCHOPE CUP SUNDAY 20 JUNE CLASS 1 HCP (1200 M)
Paxos Miss was returning to the track after breaking her maiden status and keen form students rallied around the filly’s chances by wagering accordingly with a strong push for Son of Sampson while Greenheart and Impulse Control were equal third picks.
Oh Say came from a fair way back in the run before Louise Day hooked the Neil Godbolt trained filly down the centre of the track to claim Oakfield Navajo and Son of Sampson in the shadows of the post to score a narrow victory.
Impulse Control finished just behind the leading trio with Paxos Miss cluttered up early before working home well while Greenheart wilted after being in a prominent position early.
Race 8 – CARLTON DRY BM 66 HCP (1200 M)
Glowing Red dominated betting activities for the race and was the clear pick from Two Up with Camp Rifle a conspicuous drifter while Oakfield Target halved his opening quote.
Glowing Red broke through the barrier stall just before a start was affected and the Kris Lees trained filly was declared a late scratching causing an upheaval in betting transactions.
Two Up came from well off the speed before Chad Lever hooked the son of Dane Shadow down the outside in the straight to race clear from Danzibar Dancer to score by a length.
Oakfield Target worked home well down the home running to finish in third position with Typhoon Bonny doing her best work late while Camp Rifle made up many lengths from last to finish just behind the placegetters.
Horses to follow
Just Like Lisa, McNair, Camp Rifle
