Jockey Craig Newitt made a statement on All-Star Mile Day claiming a winning treble.
While the feature race may have eluded him, he did bag two stakes race victories.
After guiding Parisal to success in the Group 3 Typhoon Track Stakes, he buttered up in the following race to claim the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) aboard the Richard Laming-trained Bank Maur.
“I came to the races today with a very good book of rides so it’s just nice to be able to capitalise on that,” Newitt said.
Bank Maur ($7 Neds) scored a three-quarter length win from Suizuro ($41) with Japanese Emperor ($5.50) the same margin away third.
Like his win aboard Parisal, Newitt was having his first ride aboard Bank Maur.
“He’s a lovely imposing animal and once I sat on him, he just gave me a beautiful feel,” Newitt said.
“He’s big and robust but very relaxed.”
Tara Taggart, representing Laming, said she was unsure whether the trainer would head to Sydney with Bank Maur for the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick in two weeks.
But Taggart said she would have no hesitation in heading that way with the son of Maurice who sired last year’s Derby winner Hitotsu.
“Richie’s always been a bit iffy about whether he will stay, but he definitely will,” Taggart said.
“I think last prep he probably wouldn’t have, he wasn’t quite mature enough, but this preparation he’s filled out, blossomed and mentally and physically is a lot stronger.
“I definitely think he’ll get further.”
Bank Maur was having his ninth start on Saturday, registering his third win, and Taggart said Laming and connections had shown faith in the colt.
There had been some discussions about gelding the three-year-old, but Taggart said bad barriers had brought about his performances in the Caulfield Guineas and Australian Guineas when out of the placings.
“Today he actually drew a good gate, was able to be put in a nice position and there you go, he got the job done,” Taggart said.
“No one gave up on this horse, he deserves a Group race and I think he’ll go on and do better things.”
