Port Macquarie Review – 12 July 2025
A peach ride from Glenn Cahill aboard Chilling highlighted a successful day of thoroughbred action on Fisher’s Plumbing Plus Race Day at Port Macquarie on Saturday.
Cahill commenced his riding career at Coffs Harbour under the watchful eye of Jim and Kris Jarvis before relocating to the southern districts and this has resulted in great success in honing his skills and confidence.
With a mission to support the current northern river carnivals, the promising young apprentice made a successful reappearance into the district by taking out the Mungindi Cup aboard Better Tomorrow before scoring a decisive win on Moskeeta at Grafton last week.
There was no hesitation for trainer, Donna Grisdale, to engage the services Cahill for the ride aboard Chilling in the Fisher’s Plumbing Plus Handicap as a reunion with the Jarvis family owners and he settled the gelding at the tail of the fiend in the early stages.
While Skates On set the early speed before being challenged by I am Convincing on the home bend and Matt McGuren made a beeline towards the outside fence aboard Abrazen Laugh, Chilling commenced a move between runners.
Abrazen Laugh struck the lead down the grandstand rail as Skates On tried to rally, but the pair was no match for the finishing burst of Chilling as the striking grey took the lead after weaving a passage through the centre to claim a narrow win.
Victory took Glenn Cahill’s riding tally to thirty-five wins and over a hundred placings in a relatively short career and he is one of the form apprentices going into the Grafton carnival with much success promising well into the future.
The riding skills of Bella Youngberry were seen to advantage in the opening event when Andrea scored a narrow victory after running down I’m Opinionated and Incantress in the shadows of the post.
Youngberry stayed close to the rails on the Tony Ball trained gelding before successfully hooking around Incantress and into the clear down the home running to claim the prize.
Former English jockey, Stephen Cummins, was quick to realise the outside section of the track provided an advantage over the concluding stages and this paid dividends as he steered Wanjina Rose to success in the second race on the card.
Cummins tracked wide down the side of the circuit before heading down the outside fence on the Brad Munro trained mare and this provided the key as the daughter of Wandjina scored by over two lengths.
The trainer and jockey combination of Glen Milligan and Teighan Worsnop continued to pay dividends when Saint Cayetano saluted in the Caroma Handicap after weathering a late challenge of Smokey Saint down the home running while Grey Effects scored in the penultimate event.
Grey Effects is a relatively new arrival to the Colt Prosser stable and the win provided further celebrations for Ben Looker after steering the Puissance De Lune gelding following the birth of new twins earlier in the week.
The action concluded with Mikayla Weir bursting through the centre of rivals aboard Spiritly to claim the lead over Archers Reign and withstand the finishing challenge of Heart of Platinum for a half head win.
The meeting was conducted under fine skies and before an enthusiastic crowd with the rail placement in the five-metre position to protect the inside surface for the upcoming meetings.
The Port Macquarie Race Club greatly appreciates the support provided by Fisher’s Plumbing Plus in staging their annual race day and it was great to continue the wonderful associated with this fine local organisation.
A big thanks also goes to associated sponsors including, Rinnai, Timberline, Caroma Industries, Vinidex and Rheem for the success in staging the fixture.
The next meeting to be conducted at the Port complex is on Monday 25th July and details regarding general admission tickets together with reserved seating in the Ivan Livermore Stand are available by contacting the Port Macquarie Race Club office on 02 6581 1964 or email on admin@portmacquarieraceclub.com.au.
