Dayarma won the final race of the day at Tamworth on Saturday, the Noelene Martin Memorial Benchmark 55 Handicap, but there was plenty of action before that.
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RACE ONE
DO You See Kay finished off powerfully to break through for her first win at her third start when a decisive winner of today’s $10,000 TAB.COM.AU 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m) at Tamworth.
The Jeremy Sylvester-trained daughter of Pluck jumped well to cruise to the lead, taking over from the Gavin Groth-trained Sound Sleuth after 100m and then forging clear from that filly in the straight for a two and a half length win.
Another debutante, Gagetown, was a length away third in a race where the winner clocked 57.9secs, running the final 600m in 35.37secs on the Good 3 track.
Jeremy Sylvester was delighted with the win as well as the cool and calm riding display from teenage apprentice Cejay Graham.
The 18-year-old Graham has been riding for just over a month and notched her fifth race win today.
“Had my first ride at Port (Macquarie) about a month ago,” she said.
“Haven’t had many rides.”
Jeremy Sylvester was impressed.
“She’s improving,” he said of the filly, who was a first emergency and only gained a run early this morning.
“That was a winnable race,” Jeremy Sylvester before a quick discussion with Cejay as she unsaddled.
“How was that,” he asked her.
“Beautiful,” the reply from the teenage jockey.
“She’s very green, though.”
Do You See Kay is raced by Newcastle owners Debbie and Paul Woods.
They raced the dam Deelites, who was originally trained by Todd Howlett before transferring to George Wright at Parkes, to win successive races at Cobar and Tomingley.
However, a mishap with a barbed wire fence ended Deelites’ racing aspirations with Dee You See Kay her first foal to race.
Do You see Kay also kicked off her racing career with a tough ask when 15th of 16 to Excelamour in the $100,000 Inglis Challenge at Scone.
“It was a tough start,” Paul Woods agreed.
“Didn’t expect her to win but she improved quite a lot at Muswellbrook (8th of 13, beaten 3.5 lengths).”
They were confident that improvement would lead into a good result today especially with a 51kg weight after Cejay Graham’s 4kg allowance.
The win also ended Graham’s 4kg claim, she will now claim 3kg.
RACE TWO
BRETT Thompson thought he might not make Tamworth in time with his truckload of gallopers today.
Luckily for him, his truck made it to the track in time for two-year-old gelding Coasting to win the Shay Brennan Constructions 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m).
“We might not make it home though,” the Gulgong trainer said after his son of Ad Valorem had snared almost a length win from Grant Prosser’s Salty Rain.
Thompson also started two-year-old filly Nicconi Bay and she finished stoutly for third.
“She goes good too,” he said of the filly.
“She ran a real good race.”
Such a good race that Rachael Murray, her jockey, asked to ride her again at her next start.
Coasting, who was ridden by Ben Looker, is “a real handful” and veered out to the centre of the track before finishing off strongly for his maiden win.
He had started just the once before, running fourth in the Romantic Dream 2YO Plate at Tamworth last October.
He spelled after that effort and returned today to impress despite some waywardness.
“He’s still very green,” Brett Thompson said.
“Wanted to run everywhere. He’s going to be a better horse.”
RACE THREE
COLLESS Coombes made a delightful debut at Tamworth Jockey Club’s ladies day meeting today, riding a winner at his first attempt.
The 16-year-old apprentice, who hails from Bingara, gave a polished and poised performance, riding odds-on favourite I Am You Are to a two and quarter length victory in the Ladies Day 3YO+ Maiden Plate (1000m).
While his family and friends looked on nervously, along with trainer Cody Morgan and co-owners Tim and Andy Falkenmire, the teenage apprentice held the former Victorian galloper together well.
He gave the four-year-old gelding, son of Al Maher, one slap up the neck in the straight but apart from that kept a good hold as his many supporters cheered and whooped in winning glory.
“It was a top idea,” said Tim Falkenmire of the decision to give Colless his debut ride on a horse he races with his brother Andy, Cody Morgan and his father Glenn.
“Good to give kids like Colless a chance early on.”
Cody Morgan said Colless has been working at his stable since the start of the year and watched his improvement with delight.
“We wanted to give him a chance where there was no pressure,” he said.
“The only pressure was that he was on a $1.50 favourite.”
If there was pressure Colless didn’t show it.
His ride was perfect and he enjoyed every moment.
“I had my first trial on March 12,” he said.
“Had to ride 20 trials, I did 22. This (race ride) was completely different though. It’s unreal.”
Glenn Morgan said the work ethic of the young apprentice was inspiring.
He had headed out to a Coonamble rodeo recently leaving four young yearlings at home he was in the process of breaking in.
While he was away for four days Colless, on his own, worked the four yearlings along without a worry and unsupervised.
Glenn Morgan was stunned, impressed and amazed that a teenager could do such a helpful and professional job.
RACE FOUR
SECRET Pedrille broke through for Muswellbrook trainer Mark Schmetzer at Tamworth Jockey Club’s ladies Day meeting today.
The three-year-old daughter of Dream Ahead had to work hard all race long to claim a half neck win over Blinkin Noodles with Wilde Irish Dream a length away third.
Secret Pedrille had led throughout to win at her eighth attempt and her third run for her new Muswellbrook trainer.
She was also the second first emergency to win on the day after Dee You See Kay had won the first race.
“She was in at Quirindi on Monday as well,” Mark Schmetzer said if she had missed out.
“She’s been up a while too. I just wanted to win a race with her first.”
Ben Looker thinks the filly will “get 1400m”, too, after her brave 1200m effort.
“It was a good win. She had to do plenty of work, they served it up to her a long way from home,” he said.
RACE FIVE
WHEN Sue Grills legged Greg Ryan aboard Exotic Art in today’s Tradies Day Friday June 30 Benchmark 55 handicap (1200m) she gave some unusual riding “instructions”.
“Things can only get better,” the Tamworth trainer told the leading jockey.
A few minutes later and things did get better as Ryan brought the five-year-old daughter of Excellent Art with a sweeping, winning run to edge out Freedom Fighter by a neck in a blanket finish with a wall of horses.
“That was hard work,” Greg Ryan admitted as he unsaddled the mare.
He had jumped the mare from barrier 16.
“Got into a nice spot and got a nice cart up,” he told Grills.
“It was a good ride,” she said as she released a load of frustration.
“Finally...” she added.
“She’s got a load of ability but had a lot of problems.”
Chief of those problems is an aversion to wet tracks while she has also had a lot of feet problems to boot.
However, farrier Adam Morris has fixed the feet and today’s Good 3 track meant she was able to fire on all cylinders.
“It’s funny, she’s got bad feet but loves hard tracks,” Sue Grills said.
RACE SIX
LITTLE Epic Decision was rewarded for his consistency with a third career win at Tamworth today.
The three-year-old colt speared home to win the Rapidclean Tamworth Class 2 Handicap (1000m) by a length from the Luke Morgan-trained Folkstone. Michelle Fleming’s Herecum da Drums was a short half head away third.
Gavin Groth prepares Epic Decision at Gunnedah and was delighted his son of Magic Albert had bounced back from a sixth at Cessnock to post another win.
“He’s been a real good little, consistent horse,” Gavin Groth said.
“I thought he was well placed today the only problem was a bad barrier but the kid (Jean Van Overmeire) gave him a peach of a ride.”
The 1.5kg claiming apprentice Overmeire had Epic Decision “in behind the speed” and pounced on straightening.
“He’s only little but he tries,” Groth said of the colt.
Earlier in the day Sound Sleuth had run second to Dee You See Kay.
“It was her first run,” Groth said of the two-year-old daughter of Eavesdropper.
“I’d given her a chance on her trial but she’s still a bit green.”
RACE SEVEN
STEVE Hodge made the long trip and long wait worthwhile when the Newcastle trainer celebrated a sixth career win with Dayarma at Tamworth today.
The seven-year-old gelding son of Grey Swallow came from last to win the Noelene Martin Memorial Benchmark 55 Handicap (1400m) by a half length from Onslow with the Sue Grills-trained Fashion Stage a close third.
Dayarma was having his 61st start and even jockey Serg Lisnyy thought he might have been too far adrift at the 800m.
However, the Newcastle jockey stoked up the gelding and stuck to the rail, taking advantage of the cutaway as well to sail home.
It was sweet, Lisnyy said after he had also convinced trainer Steve Hodge to make the long trip up from Newcastle.
“Serg rode him work the other morning and told me we should run him up here,” Steve Hodge said.
“He was a good judge.”
Hodge has been a regular attendee at Tamworth meetings for the past couple of decades.
“It made the drive up worthwhile,” he said.
“It’s too far to come unless you have something that can win,” he said.
“He missed the start too but he does that a lot. I told Serg if he did just to sit there and try and suck up the inside because you will get a run up the cut away.”
It couldn’t have worked out any better.
