Veteran Port Macquarie trainer Margaret De Gonneville had a day out as six-year-old gelding Gold Beret starred at Taree on Monday.
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Gold Beret has developed into what De Gonneville describes as “a bread and butter horse.”
“He is honest and always puts in,” she said of the nose win in the Benchmark 50 Handicap over 1250 metres.
“That was a hard win…he beat some good horses today.
“You can always rely on him to give his best.”
Gold Beret was scratched from Tuncurry on September 8 when he got a leg over part of the starting structure but hadn’t taken any harm from the experience.
Prior to that, the gelding was runner-up at Kempsey and at Port Macquarie.
De Gonneville used to ride her horses trackwork until she had a hip replacement and ankle surgery but now has to rely on local jockeys.
The finish on Monday was very busy with half the field within a length of Gold Beret with Wauchope gelding Stop The Fight most unlucky when held up on several occasions behind the pack.
De Gonneville praised Taree jockey Scott Thurlow in having a good winning record on her gelding.
He went on to notch a winning double aboard Taree trainer Ross Stitt’s three-year-old gelding Blinkin Artie in the Class 1 Handicap over 1300m.
“Blinkin Artie was going to run seventh at the 200 metres but the speed on early helped his finish,” Stitt said.
The gelding powered home wide out for a half length win from Newcastle’s Sepae which tried to lead most of the way for trainer Paul Perry.
You can always rely on him to give his best.
- Trainer Margaret De Gonneville
Perry had better luck with three-year-old gelding Marathon, ridden by Paul King, in the Maiden Handicap over 1400 metres.
At its first start on the Beaumont track, it was last when beaten 7.4 lengths but Perry’s son, Shannon, said the gelding was “switched on” over the last three or four days.
He felt it could now win another race this campaign.
Wauchope trainer Colt Prosser wasn’t trackside but that didn’t stop five-year-old mare Raining On Sunday, ridden by Ben Looker, coming from the tail of the field.
It was the widest on the turn, but stormed to a half-head win in the Country Class 1 Plate over 1600 metres.
The mare showed her second over 1600m at Moree was no fluke at her previous start to again relegate one of Taree trainer Wayne Wilkes’ runners, Sniponet, to second.
“Best horse I have had,” said Newcastle trainer Ken Lantry after three-year-old gelding Warrumbungle scored a long neck win in the Maiden Plate over 1250m.
“This is his fourth preparation (only second start) and he has been so green in his attitude until today,” he said.
“I think he will be a great miler.”
Four-year-old gelding Mosrai claimed a win for Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan in the Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1000m.
Biggest win of the meeting was by nearly three lengths for four-year-old Wyong gelding Nosey trained by Les Tilley.