Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
Bank Maur offers racer Craig Newitt a winning treble
Jockey Craig Newitt made an All-Star Mile Day claim to the winning treble.
While the feature race may have eluded him, he has won two bets race.
After guiding Parisal to success in Group 3 Typhoon Track Stakes, he took the lead in the next race to claim the title. Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) on a Bank Maur trained by Richard Laming.
“I came to the races today with a very good book on rides, so it’s great to be able to take advantage of that,” Newitt said.
Bank of Maur ($7 Ned) won by a three-quarter margin over Suizuro ($41) with Emperor Japan ($5.50) by the same margin in third place.
Like the triumph aboard the Parisal, Newitt made her maiden voyage aboard the Bank Maur.
Newitt said: ‘He’s such a lovely big animal and when I sat on him he gave me a beautiful feeling.
“He is big and strong but very comfortable.”
Tara Taggart, who represents Laming, said she was unsure if the coach would come to Sydney with Bank Maur to attend. Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) in Randwick for two weeks.
But Taggart says she won’t hesitate to go that route with Maurice’s son, who picked last year’s Derby winner Hitotsu.
Taggart said: “Richie always wondered if he would stay, but he certainly will.
“I think the final preparation he probably won’t have, he is not mature enough, but this preparation he has perfected, blossomed and mentally and physically stronger.
“I definitely think he’ll go further.”
Bank Maur had its ninth game on Saturday, scoring its third win, and Taggart said Laming and relationships have shown faith in the pony.
There has been some talk of lubricating the three-year-old, but Taggart said poor roadblocks have hampered his performances in Caulfield Guineas and Australian Guineas in disqualification.
“Today he really drew a good gate that could be placed in a nice spot and that’s it, he got the job done,” says Taggart.
“No one has given up on this horse, it deserves to be in the Group race and I think it will go on and do better things.”
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