Latest News

By Doug Ryan

A Sydney Highway win last weekend for Kempsey mare Markievicz, and a Taree win on Friday for Imatruestar, have two trainers buzzing with excitement as they aim their gallopers towards the $150,000 Newhaven Park Mid North Coast Country Championships at Manning Valley Race Club's meeting, Taree, on February 20.

The win of Markievicz for trainer Barry Ratcliff was an early present for his 72nd birthday on Monday, whereas the win for Taree trainer Grant Jobson with Imatruestar came with his first racehorse.

Both are country battlers who have had a mammoth kick out of racing cheap buys with success which could take their charges to Royal Randwick for the $500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final in April.

Ratcliff not only secured odds of $51 about his four-year-old mare (started $17) but she took her prizemoney to $100,200 with her third win in a row after only costing $9900.

Jobson was pondering buying Imatruestar listed for $50,000 but no sooner was he counting "his pennies" the price was reduced to $22,000 which sealed the deal. It turns out that Imatruestar since has a half-brother in Nervous Witness which is winning in Hong Kong.

Jobson got the racing bug after working for Taree trainer Bob Milligan for four years and the recently-engaged enthusiast is starting off with a 115-acre farm at Rainbow Flat.

Ratcliff used the services for the first-time of Sydney jockey Kieran McEvoy on Markievicz and is trying to get him to ride the mare in the heat on February 20. Ratcliff's last win in Sydney was with Beside You on August 16, 2016, and he stayed overnight to celebrate with some of the owners who live at Gosford.

"The mare pulled up beautiful., she is a good traveller ... and I will keep her nice and fresh for the 1400m heat. McEvoy said she was always travelling well at the tail of the field and didn't have to use the whip in the run home.

"He said he just shook the whip at her and she did the rest down the outside. She has a gigantic sprint for 600 to 800m and later she should develop into a country cups horse over 2000m.

"Her great demeanour has been a tribute to Vanessa Kelly who handles her for trackwork and is the best track rider I have had for a long time," he said.

Three-year-old gelding Imatruestar has been up against some smart gallopers yet has the record from eight starts with wins at Coffs Harbour and Taree and four placings for earnings of $53,950.

"I thought he would win at Taree two starts back but he was just beaten after drawing wide, racing seven-wide and tackling a rainy track. I am very happy with his progress, he is a push-button horse which should be suited by the 1400m of the Championships.

"He hasn't quite clicked yet but wait until the penny drops," Jobson said.

Meanwhile, the ratings of both gallopers should be sufficient to make the heat field at a "Showcase" TAB meeting worth $370,000 for eight races.