By ‘Pegs’
KYNETON trainer Liam Howley, fresh from his hometown cup win with Station One eight days earlier, saddled up New York Hurricane, a $2.90 favourite at Sportsbet-Pakenham on Thursday.
The gelded son of Manhattan Rain and Al Dhakira was rewarded for his consistency taking out the $37,500 Furphy Original Ale 3YO Maiden Plate over 1400 metres.
Ridden by the in-form Craig Newitt, the gelding defeated Gold Governor, $11, by a neck, with Bavicia, $8.50, a half-head away third.
“It was a real pleasing win,” Howley said after the race.
“He was left alone in front a long way from home and he really had to knuckle down and show a good bit of maturity.
“He’ll learn a lot from today and continue to improve.”
New York Hurricane had three minor placings prior to his win from seven starts.
Connections scooped the pool with the win due to the gelding being VOBIS Gold and Super VOBIS qualified and earnt $43,025 for the victory.
Blinkers off assists
The removal of blinkers from the Cathleen Wilson-trained Reckless Moon, $8, assisted in the mare’s improved form at Geelong on Sunday.
The five-year-old daughter of Puissance De Lune was an impressive winner of the Who is Michael Terrington? 0-58 Handicap over 1525 metres.
The mare, ridden by Craig Newitt, defeated the $2.70 favourite Tametomo by a half-length with All Too Terrific, $11, a further two-and -half lengths away third.
“She tends to get back in her races and ‘Froggy’ was more aggressive on her, it was a really good ride,” the Kilmore trainer said.
“She pulled up well as it was a good three track and I was a bit worried.”
Wilson said she might back the mare up on Sunday’s Kilmore Cup Day in a Benchmark 64 over 1600 metres.
Reckless Moon, raced by the trainer’s husband Adam Wilson and long-time friend and client Roger Sweet, along with other stable clients, has now won two races with nine minor placings from her 17 starts.
Seymour successful
Seymour Racing Club hosted an eight-race program on Friday – its first meeting since July 2020.
The club has undergone major track works and in that time carried out building renovations including a lift to the Bar Landy Restaurant.
District trainers were shy of the winning post with Lee and Shannon Hope doing best of the locals, with two second placings – Good Morgen, $15, and Love School, $8.50.
