Latest News

By Doug Ryan

A couple of local front runners could prove hard to run down at Manning Valley Race Club's eight-race TAB meeting at Bushland Drive Racecourse, Taree, on Monday.

They are four-year-old mare Atlantic Lite, trained by Matthew Robinson, and four-year-old gelding Adameeant from the stable of Tony Ball. With the rail out and the prospect of a heavy track again has in the past favoured leaders and these two gallopers thrive in the conditions.

Atlantic Lite led and won in the heavy over 1200m here on May 11 and since has found Wyong galloper Fenech, destined for provincial and city races, too strong when third and fourth over 1200m when tryng to lead.

The mare, according to Robinson, has had a couple of seconds over 1400m and "has won a heavy 10 race." She has pulled up well after her 2.5 lengths fourth to Fenech last start on June 7 and is primed for a big run in the Thank You Michael Byers F&M Handicap over 1400m.

In 17 starts, Atlantic Lite has raced 11 times at Taree for two wins four placings. The mare's concentration on her home track resulted from float loading problems, having to be scratched from races at Tamworth and Grafton, when unable to be taken to other venues when she was younger and with another trainer.

"She has been fairly consistent and will be ridden by apprentice Jackson Searle (3kgs claim)," Robinson said.

The race could develop into a battle of the apprentices as Muswellbrook trainer Todd Howlett will be using his new 4kg-claiming apprentice, 22-year-old Ben Osmond, on big hope five-year-old mare Nashian.

"Ben won for me on a galloper at Gulgong," Howlett said. Nashian is coming to hand nicely and will be sporting blinkers to help her concentrate better after she was fourth over 1600m in soft going at Coffs Harbour on June 18. "She got back but finished off quite good," Howlett said.

Prior to that she had shown her liking for Taree and a similar distance with close finishes, her record at the track in seven starts resulting in two wins and a second.

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has a strong hope in Endorphins and Ray Of Dreams. Endorphins won easily over 1300m at Scone last start.

Adamdeeant has plenty of toe and may find the Thank You Kevin Williams Handicap over 1000m to his liking with boom apprentice jockey Reece Jones, a big winner in Sydney recently, trying to keep his record on Ball's gallopers intact. "He has had four rides for me for three wins and a second," Ball said.

The gelding, picked out by Ball's son, Kris, and bought for $5000, won over 1000m at Tuncurry on May 15 in the heavy and had a second and a third at Taree before a last start sixth over 1000m at Muswellbrook.

"My horse led but was on the fence where it was like quicksand. It was the worst part of the track and the winner came down the outside. My horse has pulled up well and is ready to go," Ball said.

Port Macquarie trainer Neil Godbolt may have a knockout galloper in two-year-old Buck Pharoah resuming after two seconds and a win over 1000m on his home track on March 4.

There is no surprise about how consistent Godbolt's six-year-old gelding Condover Hall is going, it beng in the MVRC Race 16 July C&G Handicap over 1400m. It has won at Taree at the distance and two starts back was a close second to Fenech over 1300m here.

Since it has a handy fifth to promising stablemate Oh Say over 1250m in soft ground at Kempsey last Sunday.

SELECTIONS
RACE 1: MR EIGHTY EIGHT 1, BRENDAN'S HOPE 2, ONEHERO 3.
RACE 2: ANCHOR'S POINT 1, GIGASTAR 2, WARDADDY 3.
RACE 3: CANDY PANTS 1, MISTER RIPLEY 2, RHINELAND 3.
RACE 4: THE FOSSIL 1, FUTURE IDEA 2, GRACEFUL STAR 3.
RACE 5: LINCOLN PARK 1, OAKFIELD PRINCE 2, VANBARI 3.
RACE 6: ADAMEEANT 1, BUCK PHAROAH 2, SHE'S SMART 3.
RACE 7: ATLANTIC LITE 1, ENDORPHINS 2, DULCERO 3.
RACE 8: CLNDOVER HALL 1, SIR BAWN 2, ESSOESS 3.

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