By Ray Hickson
It’s often said mares can find a bit extra when racing in foal and that’s been the case with So Newchee Thinks as she chases successive city wins at Kensington on Wednesday.
Trainer Kris Lees said the four-year-old has always been honest, and her record attests to that, but since being served by Starspangledbanner she’s gone up a notch given she graduated to city company at her first attempt.
Sydney’s midweek meeting is on the Kensington surface at Randwick on Wednesday.Credit: Jenny Evans
“There’d be statistics to back it up somewhere, that mares can improve in foal, but I know she’s come back in good order,” Lees said.
“She went out in form, and she’s come back in good form. She was very consistent, she matured a bit more as a staying mare.
“She now has a city win against her name and that enhances her value.”
There’s a chance the TAB Handicap (1800m) could be the swansong for So Newchee Thinks, but Lees has time to give her one more run before she must be retired on February 1.
After a first-up placing at Taree, Lees sent the mare to Warwick Farm two weeks ago, and she stormed home to win over a mile on a heavy track.
While Lees would like similar conditions at Kensington, he said the increase in distance is in her favour.
“I’d probably prefer that wet ground she got the other day, but she’s in form,” he said.
“It puts a few others out of play when it’s wet, but she’s performed on firmer ground as well.
“She raced really well first time out and then when the rain came before that race we thought she was a genuine chance.
“She’ll have to take her medicine early but will be strong late if they are making ground.”
Justify filly Lutetia is set to resume in the Palace Pier First Yearlings Handicap (1250m) and while her stablemate would perhaps prefer a wet track, Lees said a drying surface would be handy for the three-year-old.
She made an impressive debut with a Newcastle maiden win before striking heavy ground and being safely held by Tarpaulin at Randwick in July.
“She was good first time out and probably had enough second run,” Lees said.
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Irish jockey lands first Australian winner
Group 1-winning Irish jockey Ronan Whelan landed a winner at his second meeting in Australia, after a rain-interrupted start, when giving Matthew Smith-trained Final Reset an ideal run at Newcastle on Tuesday. Whelan, a group 1 winner in Ireland, France and the UAE, has been in Australia for about a month. He had his first race rides at Kembla Grange on January 4 but had to wait until Tuesday to get a win. He placed Final Reset on the rails midfield before peeling him out in the straight and giving the $5 chance clear passage in the 2300m benchmark 64 for a half-length victory. “I was told to come to Sydney for the good weather, but my last two meetings have been called off because of a wet track,” Whelan said.
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Ryan delighted with Soo Gold’s progression
Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan expects Soo Gold to get through his grades well after an impressive win on debut at Newcastle on Tuesday. The three-year-old Sooboog gelding, a $32,000 buy for City Gold Bloodstock, had won both of his trials at Rosehill and led the 1200m super maiden at Newcastle under Josh Parr before kicking clear for a one-and-a-half length victory. “He’s always been very straightforward and easy to educate and get on with,” Ryan said. “He’s a nice enough horse and it’s good for City Gold Bloodstock. They’ve supported us with half a dozen horses and we’ve had only two runners recently and the other one was City Gold Banner, and it won at Warwick Farm.“
Craig Kerry
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Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
