Scone filly Bootscooter won a thrilling finish in the Highway Handicap before Newcastle-based hoop Ashley Morgan scored his first city winner to extend his lead at the top of the NSW premiership on Saturday at Randwick.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Rod Northam-trained Bootscooter was a $4.60 favourite in the class 2 1400m handicap after finished second in a 1500m class 3 edition two weeks earlier at the track.
With Northam's former apprentice Reece Jones aboard, Bootscooter was caught three wide with cover midfield after jumping from barrier eight.
The three-year-old worked around runners then made a charge down the centre of the straight to set up a match race with Lisztomania over the final 200m.
The Tim Clark-ridden Lisztomania looked to have edged ahead close to the line, but Bootscooter got the bob of the head in to win the photo finish. Jones, now in Sydney with John O'Shea, bookended the meeting with wins, finishing the day with victory on John Thompson-trained Jojo Was A Man.
Meanwhile, Welsh jockey Morgan steered Kristen Buchanan-trained Pandora Blue to victory in the 1100m Midway Handicap for a breakthrough city success. It took him to 124 wins for the season, six clear next-best James McDonald in NSW with just over a month to go this campaign.
"That's my first winner in town there today," Morgan told Sky Racing.
"There were a couple of opportunities the last few weeks to come down for decent rides and I've been keen to come down, and luckily it all went well.
"I'd take any sort of winner at the minute here, but it was good.
"That's 124 now, but that's the most important one."
On Monday, Scone host a seven-race meeting.
MORE IN SPORT:
- Toohey's News: Beggars can't be choosers with desperate Knights set to revisit Luke Brooks
- Newcastle Jets sign striker Trent Buhagiar: A-League
- How long can Knights coach Adam O'Brien last in the firing line: Robert Dillon
- Toohey's News Podcast: Knights assistant coach Willie Peters on this season's struggles
- Daniel Penha bids emotional farewell to Newcastle Jets fans: A-League
- NPL premiers Lambton call for leadership on catch-up games: NPL NNSW
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark: newcastleherald.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News