A large school holiday crowd greatly appreciated the achievement by Kyle to land a winner on his first official day of race riding and vindicated the faith bestowed on the teenager by prominent local trainer, Tas Morton, to engage for the favourite runner and take advantage of his four-kilo claim.

Astute Coffs Harbour mentor, Brett Dodson, has imparted many years of racing knowledge and experience into Wilson-Taylor and has been greatly impressed by his natural ability, determination and continued improvement in preparation for Saturday’s engagements.

Showing great maturity, the youngster was content to stride up on the outside of Saint Denis for the majority of the event before clearing away to score by just under two lengths.

There is nothing better for an apprentice jockey to attain success on the first day of official riding with months of hard work and travelling to different tracks for barrier trial engagements providing an outstanding springboard for the future.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Kyle as his official first ride on Gotta Run in the opening event resulted in the gelding missing the start and taking no competitive part in the event. 

Riding honours went to Louise Day with a double on Red Lily for Kris Lees and French Command trained by Hilary Dew while the biggest plunge was landed by Banri De Hero in the distance event.

The daughter of Von Costa De Hero was heavily labelled to start at $2.80 and gave nothing else a chance as Belinda Hodder cleared away on the George Woodward trained galloper to score by four lengths.

Following success during the recent Grafton Cup Carnival with Patriot, Matthew McCudden continued the luck when Dew Drop came down the outside to score in the final event while the northern rivers racing pinnacle was also kind to Jenny Graham together with riders, Belinda Hodder and Cejay Graham.

Racing was conducted under fine skies before a good school holiday crowd with the soft track conditions developing a pattern of racing later in the program which advantaged horses using the outside camber of the track in the straight.

The Port Macquarie club will host their next meeting on Monday 30th July will full TAB and Sky Racing coverage with the Camden Haven Cup providing the next feature program to be conducted at the circuit on Saturday 25th August.

Then the stage is sent for an outstanding festival of racing commencing with Stowe Australia Cup Prelude on September 23rd prior to the Carlton Draught Port Macquarie Cup carnival in October featuring top prizemoney and the very best the industry has to offer.

Review

Race 1: Caroma Cleanflush Maiden Hcp (1113 metres)

Betting operations in the opening event centred upon the Terry Evans trained gelding, Gotta Run, who was backed from $4.80 into $3.50 with the weight of money leading to Sunday Special being sent to the barrier as easing favourite at $3.00.

Unfortunately, the cards of Gotta Run supporters were marked at the start when he stayed in the stalls and threw away any chance of figuring in the race.

The stablemate, Scorching, led early with John Oliver placing Comingle only a head away on the outside of the leader while Chunky Charger was third underneath Sunday Special.

After being given no peace in front, Scorching started to yield ground as the Stirling Osland trained filly, Comingle, raced to the lead.

Sunday Special was perfectly ridden just off the speed by Louise Day and extricated into the clear in the straight but was unable to run down Comingle while the run of My Money Tree was full of merit at his race debut. 

Race 2:    Dux Hot Water CL1 & Maiden Plate (2026 metres)

The astute placement of Walcha trainer, George Woodward and the riding ability of Belinda Hodder were seen to advantage when Banri De Hero was heavily backed from $4.00 into $2.80 and gave nothing else a chance in breaking her maiden status.

Banri De Hero began well but Hodder elected to take a trail after Kacie Adams surged to the front on the Stephen Schofield trained gelding, Mr Mile, with Dr Mayhem third and the easing race favourite, Myriads, back in the second half of the field.

Mr Mile raced away down the back straight before being challenged by Banri De Hero with the Von Costa De Hero mare kicking five lengths clear as the field headed for home.

Josh Oliver on Myriads made up many lengths in the straight but was unable to run down Banri De Hero, who had a four-length margin to spare when the judge called a halt while Solid North ran an even race for third and Mr Mile weakened noticeably.  

Race 3:    John L. Fisher Maiden Plate (1516 metres)

Punters seemed to assess the race perfectly when Kristensen from the Benjamin Smith stable and the Kris Lees filly, Red Lily, were sent to the barrier as popular elects with the duo providing the quinella in the event. 

Kristensen began in the middle of the field and Luke Cumberland took the initiative to allow the son of Sebring to dart along the rails to lead from Dogoda Fury and Vaulter with red Lily settling in the second half of the pack.

Cumberland riding Kristensen tried to shake off Dogoda Fury as the field reached the bend while the flashy Redoute’s Choice filly, Red Lily was being popped the question by Louise Day down the centre of the track.

At start number three, Red Lily finished over the top of her rivals to race away from the field to score by a length with Kristensen and Dogoda Fury filling the placings.  

Race 4:    Fienza Bathware CL3 (1516 metres)

Despite missing the start on Gotta Run in the opening event, punters were keen to support Kyle Wilson-Taylor to land success on his first day of race riding aboard Mister Smartee with confidence around Saint Denis determined to spoil the party.

Ray Spokes had no hesitation in taking the consistent Matthew McCudden gelding, Saint Dennis, to the front from Mister Smartee making a move to challenge in the run down the back straight.

Spokes quickened the tempo on Saint Denis and Wilson Taylor showed great riding maturity on the Tas Morton trained gelding, Mister Smartee, to position on the outside of the pacemaker as the field cleared away from Earzaburning and Makarios.

As the favourites raced away from their rivals in the straight, it was obvious the weight advantage was telling the tale as Kyle Wilson-Taylor rode the Smart Missile galloper, Mister Smartee, positively to clear away for his first victory as an apprentice over Saint Denis and Emvepee.

Race 5:    Rheem Hot Water BM 55 Hcp (1213 metres)

In a race devoid of a great deal of betting activity, Bite The Media was sent to the barrier as the firm favourite over Stop The Fight with Port Gold from the Michael Byers establishment being the only runner to shorten marginally from the opening quotes.

Port Gold began well but Raymond Spokes elected to camp behind the early pacemakers, Floral One and Valleseco with Matthew Paget content to sit in the second half of the field aboard the Dale Wagstaff trained mare, Bite The Media.

Belinda Hodder tried to lift Floral One clear in the straight from Bite the Media who had obtained clear running in the straight with Stop the Fight and French Command challenging down the outside section of the course.

With a paralysing burst of speed, the Hilary Dew gelding, French Command at $31.00 provided Louise Day with a riding double as the Sharkbite mare raced clear to score by over two lengths from Stop The Fight and Floral One while Bite The Media was not advantaged by the racing tempo of the event in finishing fifth.

Race 6:    Bluescope Lysaght CL1 (1213 metres)

Astute form judges together with the large contingent of owners pinned their faith on the Nadeem filly, Shuswaggi, to salute in the final race with $1.80 on offer as the field arrived at the barrier.

There was drama at the start when Velvet Glove decided to buckjump and eventually dislodged Lexi McPherson before causing somewhat of a nuisance by trying to chase the field for the majority of the event.

Louise Day allowed Shuswaggi to stride to the lead from Eight Field and Dew Drop with the Jenelle Butler trained filly, Meliboea, positioned just off the pace.

The challenges were presenting as the field approached the home bend with Shuswaggi under siege on the rails by the likes of Meliboea and Dew Drops before the latter pair cleared away down the running.

Following a tremendous tussle down the apron of the track, Cejay Graham was able to stride clear on Dew Drop and continue the great run of success enjoyed by Matthew McCudden in landing the prize over Meliboea and The Free World with Shuswaggi yielding ground over the concluding stages.   

And the great news coming out of the event was that Lexi McPherson escaped injury after parting company from Velvet Glove after the Smart Missile gelding displayed intractable behaviour at the start.

Horses to Follow:

My Money Tree, Myriads