A rev-up from Godolphin assistant trainer Darren Beadman was all the impetus James McDonald needed to turn in a faultless riding display and win the inaugural $1 million The Hunter aboard Savatiano.
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McDonald eased Savatiano across from her outside draw, controlling the tempo and kicking clear at the top of the straight to put the 1300-metre race in the bag.
Former top jockey Beadman praised McDonald's cool ride but that wasn't the case at Canterbury on Friday night when the hoop was beaten on favourite Special Snap.
McDonald revealed Beadman had a few choice words for him, fuelling his desire to make amends.
"Well, after last night's pizzling I don't want to do it again," McDonald said.
"She is a very good mare, her record speaks for itself. She hardly ever throws in a bad one and that was her perfect trip. She got across easy enough and travelled beautifully and sprinted."
Beadman praised McDonald's decision to back-off the tempo mid-race on Savatiano and said it was a winning move. He gave a similar vote of confidence to the standalone concept at Newcastle. The meeting attracted a crowd of about 6000.
"It's not often you can come up to Newcastle on a Saturday and it's a stand-alone meeting but they've got the crowd, they've got a good response from the public and the trainers have supported it," Beadman said.
Meanwhile, group 1 placegetter House Of Cartier stamped her class with a resounding win at Newcastle in race one, prompting connections to entertain a Villiers Stakes bid.
Third behind Princess Jenni in the Schweppes Oaks in Adelaide last May, House Of Cartier relished a distance rise to 1850 metres in Saturday's Australian Bloodstock Handicap, sweeping down the outside to score.
Winning trainer John Sargent was not at Newcastle but stable representative Campbell Ashby said they came into the race quietly confident they had the class horse.
Brenton Avdulla settled House Of Cartier ($5.50) midfield and she unleashed a strong run to score by three-quarters of a length over Sir Pippin ($5.50) with Master Shuhood ($5) another 1-3/4 lengths away.
Avdulla reunited with House Of Cartier having partnered her to her most recent win in March and said he was confident she had returned in good order.
"I've had a bit to do with her and she is group 1 placed," Avdulla said.
"I took a lot out of her trial the other day, I thought she trialled really well and if she was anywhere near her best today she would be very hard to beat."
Campbell confirmed Sargent had his sights on the group 2 Villiers (1600m) at Randwick on December 14 for House Of Cartier.