Latest News

By Tony Megahey

At Muswellbrook Aleacia Bennett only has a small team in work, but she’s an expert on figures and it equates perfectly developing a hot prospect in Cecilia ($9 on TAB) as the TAB Highway series resumes and escalates with a Neville Layt memorial on a tremendous finale to The Star Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Aleacia is a qualified accountant who juggles employment in Singleton while training a team of six, and like all in country racing, she’s high in anticipation of an incredible $9 million funding boost for regional racing from July, including $100,000 for Highway races, increasing from $75,000.

Cecilia (Aaron Bullock) powers home at Tamworth. Image by Bradley Photographers

Little wonder the series has been attracting unprecedented nominations, resulting in Racing NSW regularly scheduling two episodes to accommodate the trainers and the influx of new owners.

So if not forgotten, the ravages of COVID, drought, fires and floods are fading fast.

Cecilia, a three-race winning four-year-old Darci Brahma (NZ) mare, ran a slashing 1.09.84 with 59kg at $1.55 to dominate a Class 2, 1200m at Tamworth recently to compare favourably with the 1.08.90 track record.

She carries 56kg for in-form Mikayla Weir in a TAB $75,000 Class 3, Vale Neville Layt , 1200m.

And Aleacia, while understandably deflated by a barrier 19 draw, weighs up the positives.

“Cruel, we wondering our next move, but this mare has come back flying for us; Mikayla is riding super and maybe we’ve got a fitness edge and weight on some of the main chances,” Aleacia assessed on her lunch break from work.

This season Mikayla has ridden 53 winners after 63 the previous.

“The topweight Rothenburg ($5.50) has gone up to 61.5kg from 56kg in the Country Championships Final, Mr Wong ($18) is resuming but I see he’s won a trial,” Bennett added.

"But we’re not eligible for another Highway and that level of prizemoney if she wins another regional race.

“She was underdone at home before that big win at Tamworth. We’ve had a lot of rain, she’s missed work and racing.

“But she was right back to what we know she can do at Tamworth - brilliant and she’s come on.

“And with the wet weather recently we’re fortunate to have a 1600m track on our property up here."

Aleacia originally began training two gallopers at Cessnock and was educated in equine by her parents through pony clubs, show eventing, polo and camp drafting. Only recently she wound right back on riding her own trackwork.

Cecilia is on the fourth line in the markets behind Paul Messara’s Ceasefire ($5 into $4) with a winning double in fast times at Muswellbrook and Tamworth.

Country Championships finalist Rothenburg and talented Mr Wong will be hard to beat, however, a Newcastle win last prep is also solid credentials to support Cecilia’s big win last start.

So some favourable circumstances add up for the accountant turned racehorse trainer. Royal Randwick is a Good 4 under clear skies.

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