By Greg Prichard
Trainer Jeremy Sylvester and jockey Luke Rolls will combine in a major attack on the Taree race meeting on Saturday.
Sylvester, who trains at Cessnock, will have a runner in five of the six races and Rolls, who has been in great form riding on the Mid North Coast recently, will be aboard all of them.
Their day kicks off in race two, the Hepworth Industrial Workwear Maiden Handicap over 1270m, with four-year-old Snitzenegger.
Jockey Luke Rolls - has five nice rides at Taree on Saturday
Then three-year-old filly Bonnie Dubai will contest the Opal Packaging Maiden Plate over 1012m, followed by 3yo gelding Fox Reign in the Argus Class 1 Handicap over 1420m.
Four-year-old mare Reward’s Daughter runs in the Visyboard Benchmark 50 Handicap over 1624m and finally it will be 4yo mare Heavenly Az in the Wingham Beef Exports/Wingham Tigers Cup Benchmark 50 Handicap over 1012m.
None of the quintet are world-beaters, but it’s that sort of day with low-key fields for races that each carry $16,000 in prizemoney.
The challenge is to find the horses that most appreciate the less difficult challenge than they would face in a typical Taree meeting where the prizemoney would be at a minimum of $27,000.
Rolls has been on a roll recently, having ridden a winner at Gunnedah on March 15, another at Taree on March 17 and then winning doubles at Taree on March 25 and Port Macquarie on March 29.
That winner at Gunnedah was Devoted Deputy, trained by Sylvester.
Fox Reign, formerly trained by John Sargent at Randwick, has been with Sylvester for three starts now and the Class 1 race looks like a good one for him.
He is a winner over 1200m and in his first start for Sylvester, in a $30,000 Class 1 event over 1600m at Quirindi on February 21, he worked home well from seventh turning for home to finish third.
At his last start he finished fourth of nine in a $27,000 Class 1 over 1412m at Taree on March 25.
Reward’s Daughter’s career-best performance was a win in a $30,000 Country Maiden over 1450m at Muswellbrook on January 13.
The track surface was rated a Heavy 8 that day and the Taree track for Saturday’s meeting was rated a Heavy 10 on Friday morning, with the sun shining and further good weather forecast for raceday.
Rolls rode Reward’s daughter when it won and he has a very good understanding with the horse, having ridden it in races five times now.
*First race 2.21pm and gates open midday with full TAB and bookmaker facilities. The Turf Bistro and bar inside the Winning Post Function Centre are open.
General admission $10 and concession $5. See Manning Valley Race Club-Facebook for more details.
View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree here