Premier local jockey Andrew Gibbons was the only Novocastrian hoop or trainer to taste success at Saturday's Newcastle meeting.
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Gibbons took his season tally to 109 when he piloted promising Gosford filly Salina Dreaming to victory in the 1200-metre benchmark 64 handicap.
Angela Davies trains the three-year-old, which now has three wins and three placings from her six starts.
Gibbons rode her when she won a Port Macquarie two-year-old handicap by 3.5 lengths in April last year.
On Saturday, Salina Dreaming was taken to the front by Gibbons soon after the start.
She travelled sweetly up front and when the challengers came inside the 200m, Gibbons pulled the whip and Salina Dreaming found plenty to win by half a length.
Davies watched the race on TV and was relieved when contacted on Saturday.
"That was more like it," Davies said.
"Adverse barriers cost Salina Dreaming in her past two starts. She had a horror draw again today and Andrew wanted to ride her off the speed. However, I told him to lead if she jumps OK and she was never in danger.
"Gibbo said after the race that Salina Dreaming was still pretty green and she has so much potential.
"This filly has good wet track form but she is more comfortable on a Good 4 as she had today.
"I will probably give her another run before a spell."
Port Macquarie-born apprentice Cejay Graham's faultless association with classy filly Madam Legend continued at Newcastle on Saturday.
Graham has ridden the Les Bridge-trained three-year-old in all of her Newcastle starts and she is unbeaten on the track. Graham, who is apprenticed to Peter and Paul Snowden, heaped praise on Madam Legend.
"She is one of my favourites and is a pleasure to ride," Graham said.
"Madam Legend has done everything right. I asked Les Bridge what my instructions are and he replied 'just win'.
"When she bounced in front and nothing wanted to lead, we pushed on and she was always going to win."
The popular apprentice has ridden 137 winners and has a year remaining before she joins the senior ranks.
Long odds-on favourite Alakahan cruised to victory in the opening event, a 2325m class 1 and maiden plate. The Irish import raced on the pace and he sped away to win by 4.5 lengths.
With only three meetings on the Newcastle tracks remaining in the season, Gibbons leads the jockeys' premiership on 29 wins, 10 clear of Aaron Bullock, Jeff Penza and Tom Sherry.
James Cummings leads the trainers' title on 22, two ahead of Kris Lees.
Sherry is the leading apprentice on 19, well clear of Sam Clenton and Graham on seven.
AAP reports: James McDonald has become the first jockey in more than a decade to ride a century of Sydney winners in successive seasons. The last jockey to rack up 100 metropolitan winners in consecutive seasons was Hall of Famer Darren Beadman.
