Far left: Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing was a happy chap after Ballistic Ruler’s victory.By Brad Kingsbury
CRANBOURNE-based jockey Craig Newitt put on a display of riding excellence for his home crowd, booting home four winners on the eight-race Trade Union Family Raceday program on Sunday.
That followed his awesome effort at Flemington the day before, when Newitt partnered Lee Freedman’s super mare Miss Andretti to score a memorable victory over archrival Gold Edition in the Group 1 Age Classic.
While the winner’s cheques on Sunday were shared around between eight different trainers, including two Cranbourne mentors, it was Newitt’s riding feat that provided the day’s highlight on a good track, in perfect spring weather and in front of a family-orientated crowd estimated at 4500.
The 22-year-old hoop started his run of four consecutive victories in the third race, the CPSU Maiden Plate, when he won what developed into a two-horse war between his mount Monicablinco and Dragonisi, ridden by Michael Carson.
It was Newitt’s clear edge in raw riding ability that saw him boot the Mick Price-trained three-year-old filly home by a head.
Newitt piloted Ballistic Ruler to the post over Encryptor in similar circumstances in the next race, the LHMU Maiden Plate.
The local Robbie Laing-trained galloper started as the punters’ top fancy in the race after second-placed runs at his two previous outings, and did not disappoint under the subtle urgings of the star hoop.
It was an all-Cranbourne combination again in the next event, the MUA Memorial race, when Newitt steered home Runlaq for locally based trainer Allan Williams. Newitt picked up the ride when he replaced originally nominated jockey Brian Park and made the most of the opportunity.
The last of Newitt’s four winners for the afternoon came in the main race of the day, the $35,000 CBUS Super Stakes, when he saluted on the well-performed metropolitan runner City of Ruins for trainer Michael Ryan.
Newitt will now prepare to travel to Hong Kong, where he will partner Miss Andretti in her tilt at the rich Asian sprint races next month.
In-form Cranbourne jockey Peter Mertens also picked up a winner’s cheque on the day when he rode promising Mornington horse Raffaello to record a stunning last-to-first victory in the second race, completing a good meeting for district horsemen.
Cranbourne Turf Club chairman Robin Daley praised patrons and union organisers, saying the race meeting had become a major event on the annual calendar, which was confirmed by excellent betting turnover figures both on and off-course.
The next scheduled race meeting at Cranbourne will be held on Thursday 22 November.
