Newitt rides hot streak
CRAIG Newitt walked away from Wednesday night’s meeting in Launceston with four winners on the eight-event card and he says two of his winning mounts are genuine horses to follow for the remainder of their preparations.
Newitt’s black-bookers were Luca Bratzi in the 3YO maiden and Sir Simon, which scored a narrow but impressive win in a benchmark 66 handicap over 1400m.
His other winners were Snippety Cat in a maiden-class one and the promising Silent Bid, which snatched victory in the last stride on a 0-60 handicap over 1400m.
Sir Simon was backed in to start the $1.60 favourite and when he led and pinched a couple of cheap sectionals mid-race, victory looked inevitable.
But the Adam Trindertrained Ocean Essence, which tracked the favourite from the outset, loomed to win in the home straight, but under strong riding from Newitt, the gallant grey dug deep and had a neck to spare on the line.
“Sir Simon is a very nice horse and when he led, I was very confident he’d win but Ocean Essence made him work for it.
“When the other horse came at him in the straight, he refused to give in and that’s the sign of a good horse.”
Sir Simon is expected to be aimed at “The Greys” race at Flemington on November 7, which is a benchmark 90 handicap and restricted to grey horses.
Newitt said Luca Bratzi’s win was exciting but admitted he probably gave his big band of owners heart palpitations.
“Luca Bratzi never missed the start, but he didn’t break the gates as well as we could have so I just eased him out of the early speed,” Newitt said.
“I found myself still well back on the home turn with the leader off and running with a four-length break. There was no use trying to get to the outside because nothing was making ground out wide, so I just had to ride him for luck.
“Thankfully he possesses a great turn of foot and when he got one off the fence and had the leader in his sights he levelled out and ran home brilliantly to get up right on the line.”
Snippety Cat delivered his best effort this preparation to win the maiden-class one and Silent Bid broke through for only his second win, but he impressed his rider.
“Silent Bid has taken his time to mature and while he still has a bit to learn I think he is a progressive type that will keep getting better with racing.”
Silent Bid looked a spent force 200m from home, but under strong riding the gelding kept giving and nailed the win right on the line in a photofinish. FORMER classy juvenile Gee Gee Lanett delivered a bold first-up performance to win a benchmark 74 handicap (1100m) with apprentice Scarlet So aboard.
Apriano led and booted three lengths clear turning for home, but he was unable to withstand the mare’s powerful finish.
Gee Gee Lanett’s trainer Stuart Gandy said the mare would be aimed at the Goodwood Handicap in a fortnight, which will act as her lead-up to the Newmarket Handicap in which she finished second last year behind I’m Wesley.