By Craig Kerry
Scone trainer Scott Singleton said “that’s like our Melbourne Cup” after long-shot Melody Again gave him a career highlight on his home track on Saturday in the group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m).
Race favourite Written In Code looked home in the Scone standalone meeting’s feature race before Singleton’s $41 shot, with Christian Reith aboard, scorched up the inside late for a half-length victory in the $250,000 race for mares.
Christian Reith takes Melody Again to victory in the Dark Jewel Classic.Credit: Getty Images
The win equalled Singleton’s best result, Shazee Lee claiming the group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas in 2017, but it was clear Saturday’s success was extra special.
“She’s good on her day and it was some ride, too,” Singleton said. “She’s a difficult mare and he did a great job on her.
“I put Christian on her when she was being really difficult the prep before last, and he’s just got great hands, and he’s stuck with me. He’s come here today for just one ride.
“Christian rode my first winner for me 20 years ago and Max Kowalczuk and Sally, that own her, were the first owners I had 20 years ago, so it’s pretty special.”
Trainer Scott Singleton embraces jockey Christian Reith.Credit: Getty Images
Melody Again is also related to Shazee Lee.
“They are enigmatic, but on any given day, they are very good. It’s just a matter of getting everything right,” he said.
Reith, a group 1 winner, spent a year on the sidelines after fracturing vertebrae in a fall in 2022.
Fiorsum Fred earlier gave Singleton a hat-trick of wins on Scone’s biggest day of the year when he claimed the class 3 Highway Handicap (1600m).
Singleton won benchmark handicaps on the standalone program the past two years with Dollar Magic and Comonic, and Fiorsum Fred added to the record with a strong finish for a three-quarter length victory.
Former Gold Coast apprentice Jace McMurray rode Fiorsum Fred, giving him a first Sydney metro win. He has joined Randwick trainer Michael Freedman on loan.
Filly shows star potential
Zoustar filly Stardom is set to chase more black type at the Queensland winter carnival after securing a valuable win in the Woodlands Stakes (1100m) as part of a listed double for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.
The Torryburn Stud talent, out of Snitzel mare Diddums, raced outside leader Rainbow Glow before taking over at the top of straight for jockey Adam Hyeronimus and finding late to hold off Kris Lees-trained Wollzeile by a half length. Favourite Akaysha was strong late for third after getting too far back.
The Instructor later gave Hyeronimus and the Waterhouse-Bott yard another big win, overhauling Whinchat in the final metres of the Luskin Star Stakes. The son of Russian Revolution is also set to hunt stakes wins in Queensland.
Caballus comeback soured
Throat and gelding operations proved pivotal for Caballus when he returned with victory in the listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m), only to suffer a bleeding attack.
The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old, last year’s Eskimo Prince Stakes winner, got the sit behind leader The Novelist from gate one. Jockey Ash Morgan then took the $5.50 favourite up the inside in the last furlong for a two-thirds of a length victory.
Concern: Caballus bled from both nostrils after its win.Credit: Getty Images
Caballus, which raced at group 1 level before his breathing problems prompted the throat operation, was set to chase bigger targets in Queensland before he was found to have bled from both nostrils post-race, triggering a mandatory suspension.
Godolphin’s Renosu also bled in the same race.
Long shot lifts for Penza
Experienced provincial jockey Jeff Penza was rewarded for a long day’s work when $61-shot Summer Flame lifted late to win the listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m).
Penza gave the Chris Waller-trained daughter of Written Tycoon from Rosemont Stud an ideal run behind leader Overfull before hitting the front 100m out to beat Gerringong by a neck.
Jeff Penza boots home Summer Flame to win for Chris Waller at Scone yesterday.Credit: Getty Images
Summer Flame resumed in the 3YO fillies feature after recording a win and two placings in Victoria in her first preparation.
Waller assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said the win was great reward for Penza.
“Whenever he’s asked, he’ll come in [for trackwork],” Duckworth said. “He came in this morning and galloped four for us, then went home and rode his two show-jumpers, then got in the car and came here, so he’s a hard worker.”
He said the performance of Summer Flame was not a surprise for Waller. “Chris was tipping it, so he might be happy because she was obviously a crazy old price,” he said.
Archibald import finds edge
Annabel Archibald believes she may have found a key to Cormac T after the import edged out Gentileschi following an unusual lead-in.
Cormac T was scratched on vet’s advice last Saturday at Gosford with abrasions to his near-hind leg after becoming fractious in the gates.
He bounced back in the benchmark 78 (1700m), hitting the front late for jockey Tom Sherry then holding out Gentileschi and Kind Words in a thriller. Gentileschi’s co-trainer Paul Messara and stewards reviewed the photo before correct weight was declared.
“He obviously didn’t gallop last Saturday and we went pretty steady with him early in the week because we wanted to check he was OK,” Archibald said. “So maybe he’s shown us that he likes to be kept slightly on the fresh side.”
It was part of a great day for the Annabel and Rob Archibald yard, which later won the group 1 Doomben 10,000 with Sunshine In Paris.
Snowden has Eagle eye on next race
Champion trainer Peter Snowden was eyeing the listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) on June 7 at Eagle Farm with Zealously after the three-year-old cruised to victory in the 1100m benchmark 78.
A $3.50 favourite after Snowden scratched him last week at Gosford in the hope of firmer ground this week, Zealously relished the drying soft 5 going, kicking clear at the top of the straight and beating Dollar Magic by one and three-quarter lengths.
The winning time of 1:02:13 was inside the track record but may not be official because it was hand timed.
“I’ll go to Brisbane with him,” said Snowden, who was born and bred in Scone. “There’s a three-year-old race for him in about three weeks, so I’ll head to that, if we get good ground.”
Freedman and Collett find key
Trainer Richard Freedman praised in-form jockey Alysha Collett after she produced a perfectly timed front-running ride to score a breakthrough win on import Walking Painting at Scone in the Midway Handicap (1700m).
Freedman, who trains in partnership with his son, Will, and has stables in Scone, wanted the six-year-old to lead after seven fruitless starts in Australia.
Collett, who had a winning double at Gosford last Saturday, found the front then stacked them up before Walking Painting held on narrowly Northern Eyes and Highborn Harry.
“I said to Alysha, you just go forward and lead, and I said to Kerrin [McEvoy on Let’s Fly], you follow her,” Freedman said. “I said, you slowly ease down and then wait until they straighten up and let him go.”
He said of Collett: “I was really critical of her early in her career, but she’s turned it right around. She’s a good rider.”
