Latest News

By Doug Ryan

Taree mare I’ll Take Money’s new lease of life should take her a long way towards notching three wins on the trot at Manning Valley Race Club’s TAB meeting at Taree on Monday.

Her trainer Ross Stitt said of the six-year-old: "She is racing well, is in form and holding it.”

The mare lines up against a strong field of visiting gallopers in the Wingham Cup 7 June Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1250m and will be without Port Macquarie apprentice jockey Cejay Graham, who has ridden her for the two wins.

The leading local apprentice has been transferred from last weekend to the city stables of Peter and Paul Snowden where she will be able to take advantage of her 3kg claim in metropolitan races.

I’ll Take Money came wide on the turn to score by nearly two lengths over 1250m here on April 8 then scored by a length over 1300m at Tuncurry last Saturday: “She was getting away from them last start,” Stitt said.

The mare was bred by owner Terry Marskell from Mudgee and the family has had plenty of winners.

One of the hardest to beat is three-year-old gelding Resinite, trained at Newcastle by Kris Lees who is having a dominant season on the Mid North Coast with plenty of winners, having three at Port’s TAB meeting on Monday.

Resinite has had only four starts for a win at Quirindi and placings at the same course and Tamworth. Two barrier trials, one at Gosford and the other at Newcastle, should have him ready to fire.

There was plenty to like about the determined win of Taree six-year-old gelding Toast at Tamworth on May 14.

Trainer Bob Milligan’s son, Glen, said the ride of Wauchope jockey Belinda Hodder "won him the race".

“He was third last before the turn and it was a good win. One thing about him he cops plenty of racing.”

The return of seven-year-old gelding Akamin, trained at Taree by Matthew Robinson, in the Taree Cup Carnival 16 & 18 August Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1000m could be a winning one as he normally races well fresh.

Akamin has had five wins from 51 starts but in 29 of them all the wins and 12 placings have been posted at this track, all wins at the distance.

Rival six-year-old mare Kate’s Pearl, trained at Wyong by Damien Lane, found a drop back to 1000m to her liking with a win at Taree in a Class 3 race on May 13.

“I tried her over ground but she doesn’t settle. She weighs around 600 kilos and has the making of a lovely broodmare.

“She is not good on wet tracks and the addition of blinkers helped,” Lane said.

Three-year-old gelding Rooster Cogburn (named after John Wayne’s character in a movie) was ready to be chopped from the stable until he won for the first time at Taree’s last meeting.

Newcastle trainer Paul Perry’s son, Nathan, said his wife Christine owned the $800 galloper and the win was a late Mother’s Day present.

Then he added that she bought a horse for $10,000 at the Scone sales and the winner’s cheque from Rooster Cogburn could pay for the newcomer.

Being a BOBS bonus horse, it will be interesting to see how “the Rooster” goes in the TAB.Com.Au Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1600m on Monday.

SELECTIONS
RACE 1: The Deel Is Dun 1, Miss Zodiac 2, Luddenham Lass 3.
RACE 2: Firefly Poppy 1, Cloudless Sky 2, Enchanted Glory 3.
RACE 3: Perfect 1, Valley’s Sister 2, Stella Veloce 3.
RACE 4: Scatter Blast 1, Titus 2, Captain's Legend 3.
RACE 5: Bedivere 1, Party Host 2, Shoreditch 3.
RACE 6: Akamin 1, Bubbles De Beer 2, Kate’s Pearl 3.
RACE 7: I’ll Take Money 1, Resinite 2, Toast 3.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree here