March 14, 2013, 10:30 p.m.
GLOBETROTTING jockey Craig Williams has targeted the Newcastle Newmarket as a goal for another feature win.
The Melbourne-based Williams will fly to Newcastle next week to ride at Broadmeadow.
He has accepted the ride on the exciting Scone galloper Mahisara in the group 3 $125,000 Newcastle Newmarket (1400 metres) on Wednesday.
Williams was at Gosford on Wednesday to trial the Paul Messara-trained four-year-old.
Mahisara did enough in the three-quarter-length win in the 1000-metre hit-out for Williams to tell Messara he was keen to stick with the More Than Ready horse.
Mahisara has not started since spring last year, when he won three of his last four, at Rosehill, Flemington and Sandown.
Williams rode Mahisara at the two Melbourne victories.
"Craig was keen to have a look at my horse and once he trialled him he said he was impressed with the way he has come back after a spell," Messara said.
"I was toying with the idea of running in the Newcastle Newmarket first up.
"Craig said he thought the horse was ready and that he would stay with him.
"That gives me great confidence about next week.
"When a jockey of Craig's calibre will fly from Melbourne just for a trial at Gosford and then back up a week later at Newcastle, it must be he thinks my horse has potential."
From 15 starts Mahisara has won six and just over $400,000 in prizemoney.
■ The judging panel for the appointed positions on the Newcastle Jockey Club board of directors will hand their recommendations to Racing NSW today.
It is expected Racing NSW will make the announcement of the three successful candidates late next week.
There were 11 candidates looking for a spot on the seven-person board, where already four have been elected by members.
It is believed those who interviewed well included one of the old board who did not make it on the new four-man elected division.
Also, one of the women who nominated and a businessman with strong links with racing are supposed to have impressed.
It is rumoured that three high-profile Newcastle identities who applied did not even get to the interview stage.
■ Glencadam Gold may attempt a rare double at Newcastle next week.
Glencadam Gold, which won the Newcastle Cup over 2300 metres last year, is in the 1400m Newmarket.
The NJC received a strong 23 entries for their feature sprint of the autumn. Gai Waterhouse has entered Laser Hawk and Under The Sun with Glencadam Gold.
Interstate trainer Peter Moody (Voilici) and Tony McEvoy (Sysmo) have entries.
Local interest could centre on David Atkins's Bereft and Kirinata from the Paul Perry yard.
Bereft is having his first start for Atkins after being bought from Darley after he ran on February 9.
Bereft is believed to have been bought for a large five-figure sum.
He could deliver an early wedding present for Atkins, who marries fiancee Simone in April.
The favourite could be Guy Walter's Jacquinot Bay.
■ Newcastle trainer Darren Smith has no doubt that the future of his star sprinter, Atomic Force, goes on the line tomorrow.
Atomic Force resumes from an injury break in the Challenge Stakes at Warwick Farm.
He has not raced since failing at Moonee Valley in September last year.
"My only hope for the horse on Saturday is that he is competitive," Smith said.
"Look, this is a hot field, a really top line-up.
"If he shows he has still got it then there are plenty of options open for him."
Smith said he might chase a second group 1 Galaxy with Atomic Force.
"Having another shot at a Galaxy is one way to go.
"But we might take Tommy [Atomic Force] to Singapore or Brisbane for major races.
"Everything depends on him running a big race in the Challenge."
As well as the Galaxy at Randwick, Atomic Force scored at the elite level in the Railway Stakes in New Zealand.
■ Broadmeadow trainer Steve Hodge is realistic about his stayer, French Gift, running in the listed $100,000 Randwick City Stakes (2200m) tomorrow at Warwick Farm.
"He ran second in a midweek ATC meeting at Newcastle last start," Hodge said.
"So he will be a huge price in a listed race in town of a Saturday. But when they extended nominations I decided to have a shot at it with French Gift.
"He ran well at Newcastle and he can stay, and it is a small field of only eight.
"It is a non-claiming race so I have asked Jay Ford to ride him for the first time."
■ Country jockey Greg Ryan had a personal best at Muswellbrook of five winners, including in the two feature events on Tuesday.
"I have ridden six winners in a day and five a couple of times before but never at Muswellbrook," Ryan said. "I know it sounds trite, but things did go my way.
"To score in both feature events was a thrill."
Ryan scored on Yupik in the Greg Cribb Memorial and the Shorty Cribb Aberdeen Cup on Star Of Dubai.
His other winners were Weekend Getaway, All That Excites and Beautzel.
■ Top Warwick Farm trainer Peter Snowden was at Muswellbrook, as he always is, for the running of the Greg Cribb Memorial. Greg was Peter's brother-in-law.
"We missed out this year, but, believe me, while ever they keep running this race, I will keep coming back and trying to win the race; it means so much to my family," Snowden said.
He already has his eye on the Scone Cup carnival as his next country goal.
"I will be getting back to my old home town and I already am earmarking as many as I can to take for the races up there on both days," Snowden said.
■ Newcastle galloper Beaufort Gyre will have his third attempt tomorrow at winning a race in Queensland.
Beaufort Gyre is in race seven at the Gold Coast and trainer Kris Lees will be hoping that things finally go right for his representative.
Beaufort Gyre was sent north because of his love of wet tracks, but the race he went for at Eagle Farm was washed out.
He was then entered for the Gold Coast and Toowoomba on the same day.
The Gold Coast meeting was also washed out, but Beaufort Gyre got to race at Toowoomba in the night.
He started a short-priced favourite, but only managed seventh.
"I am backing him up at the Gold Coast and I am just hoping he can go better than last week," Lees said.
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