Hunter racing: Scorse back on track, NJC meet with V'Landys, plus trots, dogs previews

The 19-year-old Newcastle apprentice has taken over from the late Alan "Jock" Gollogly as a trackwork clocker for Lees after leaving the Hunter Brain Injury Service at Bar Beach in early January.

Gollogoly, a group 1-winning jockey and popular racing media personality, had worked for Lees as his regular clocker before losing his battle with cancer just before Christmas at age 72.

Scorse has been back living with his mother, Lara, in New Lambton while returning to the clinic for rehabilitation twice a week.

He said while a training regimen featuring Pilates has helped his physical recovery, working for Lees regularly at trackwork "was great" and had kept his mind active and connected to racing as he strives to return to the industry full-time.

Scorse, the grandson of late group-1 winning hoop Alan Scorse, was lucky to survive the fall, which came less than four months into his riding career. His mount Balzando broke down mid-race, causing a chain reaction that brought down four jockeys.

He was taken to John Hunter Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter with bleeding on the brain and placed in an induced coma for a day. He miraculously escaped injuries to the rest of his body but the impact of a stroke from the head trauma created issues down his left side.

He has steadily regained his strength and dexterity, and he remains open to a potential return to race riding.

He and medical specialists have been pleased with his progress and he hoped to regain his driver's licence by the end of the month.

As for riding, he is working towards getting aboard a pony owned by his partner, Macey Howlett - the daughter of Singleton trainer Todd Howlett - in the near future.

Scorse made a positive step in overcoming the mental scars from the fall when he returned to Taree for a recent race meeting. He had been concerned about triggering flashbacks but said he came through the trip well.

Trainer Todd Howlett welcomed the chance for unraced filly Mic Drop in the $2 million Inglis Millennium at Randwick on Saturday.

Mic Drop, a $300,000 yearling by Microphone out of El Estoora, was first emergency for the restricted listed race over 1100 metres for two-year-olds before Brad Widdup-trained Tequila Baby was scratched late on Wednesday.

Mic Drop was second in her first trial at Hawkesbury on December 12 over 800m to Miss Piera, which was then runner-up on debut at Warwick Farm. She then won her second trial at Wyong on January 31.

Jay Ford has the ride from gate two on Saturday and Howlett was pleased to see his filly get a start.

"She's a nice filly and she's trialled well," Howlett said.

"This is a big step first-up but she's going well and we'll just see how she goes."

Mic Drop is one of three long-shot Hunter-trained hopes in the race. Kris Lees' Thundering Soul, a winner on debut at Scone, was $81 from gate 11, while Brett Cavanough's Cerons was $41 from 13. The Scone colt was second in the listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes at Flemington in his only start.

Newcastle Jockey Club chief Duane Dowell has described a meeting with Racing NSW boss Peter V'landys about the Broadmeadow track's stables plan as "very positive".

Dowell and new NJC chairman Brian Judd, a former Racing NSW Country chief, made the trip to meet with V'landys on Wednesday. An assessment and review of the NJC's development application to the state government for a much-needed but yet unfunded new stables complex at Newcastle Racecourse was the central topic.

The NJC last year lowered its sights on the design and size of the project in the hope of gaining government or industry backing.

The club hopes to use the site of the existing stables for a non-racing development to provide ongoing revenue. That ambition came into sharper focus in December when the Newcastle Herald revealed a redevelopment strategy being prepared by Newcastle council and the NSW government which included a preferred scenario of creating 16,000 new homes in Broadmeadow.

Applications are open for the NJC's new community support program, which offers grants of up to $2000 every quarter.

Dowell, who started a similar program while boss at Muswellbrook Race Club, said the initiative was for local charity, sporting, community and school groups, with a focus on supporting children and young people.

Applications for the first grant close on March 29.

Examples of projects include sports equipment, team uniforms, musical instruments, upgrades to facilities, safety equipment, services and products.

The Ken Cheetham Memorial has been added to the Birmingham Gardens course's calendar in the form of a 400-metre 1-4 grade series with heats then a $5000-to-the-winner final a week later.

Cheetham was a champion trainer in the Hunter who prepared two winners of the NSW Greyhound of the Year award - How's The Fort (1992) and Take The Kitty (2009). The Harpers Hill trainer died in June last year at age 87.

Gardens club president Garry Kedwell, who trained Rolled You to a victory at Muswellbrook on Wednesday, said a memorial race had been in the works for months and was confirmed last week after meeting with Cheetham's family and talks with Greyhound Racing NSW.

Kedwell said the club, now effectively a social group for members after GRNSW's takeover of operations at the track last year, will top up prizemoney to create the $5000-to-the-winner decider. The race will be part of members' night at the track.

Meanwhile, The Gardens hosts a 12-race program on Friday from 2.11pm.

The Sarah Kedwell-trained Blue Roamer will be one to watch on the card. The Zipping Garth dog is aiming for a fourth consecutive win from an outside box at the track and distance in the second race, a masters event.

Sawyers Gully trainer Adam Ruggari expects to see the best of Songbird as he chases a first win with the mare at Newcastle Paceway on Friday night.

Ruggari has four runners on the card and believes Songbird in race two, an up to 55 ratings event, is his top hope. Songbird has had two starts for Ruggari since coming from the stables of suspended Singleton trainer Aaron Goadsby.

She finished well back at Newcastle in a higher grade when first-up for six months and on debut for Ruggari but then came home strongly from the rear of the field to grab third last week in mares 50 grade. She broke gear in that run and had to overcome a second-row start.

Jack Callaghan has the drive on Friday night from gate five and Rugarri expected Songbird to be in the mix with a better draw and luck.

He also had high hopes with Dadndave in race five, an up to 80 grade event, where he also has Hazelnuts in the field. The gelding has had two runs at Menangle after a seven-month break with injury. He was second, then fifth when the winner ran a 1:50:2 mile.

He drops back to Newcastle class, where he has the inside spot on the back-row and Robbie Morris to drive.

Ruggari has been pleased with Dadndave's return and said he was the better of his two chances in the race.

His other runner is Miss Out in the seventh. The filly has been fourth in her two career runs, both at Newcastle, and has to contend with a second-line draw.