Kembla Grange trainer Mitchell Beer celebrated the biggest win of his career when Mnementh took out the listed $200,000 Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Alysha Collett settled her mount midfield before ranging up to challenge at the 250-metre mark.
After forging to the lead, Mnementh ($18) fought back doggedly to defy the late challenge of the favourite, Iowna Merc, to win by three-quarters of a length with Semillion a further half-length away in third place.
After the win, Beer revealed that he’d feared the horse’s career might have been over after he pulled both front shoes off in finishing towards the tail of the field in the Luskin Star Stakes at Scone just three weeks earlier.
“Driving home from Scone, I thought he was just about finished, so to be here three weeks later winning a listed race is a credit to everyone involved in him. We worked double time to get him back to where he was.
“I just can’t tell you how good a horse he’s been for me. He’s just a ripper — just a lovely horse.
“I’m so happy for the owners because we’ve always had great faith in Mnementh. I can’t tell you how much work he is but thank God he’s worth it.
Collett appears to have a rapport with Mnementh, her only previous ride on him having resulted in a fourth as a $41 chance in the listed Hawkesbury Rush on May 4.
“We had an awkward barrier to contend with but it actually worked out nicely enough as we got cover the whole way,” she said.
“I presented a little earlier than I would have wanted to because the other one (Iowna Merc) had me flat-footed at the 200 metres, but this old horse loves his work and he really went to war,” added Collett.
Tale too good in wet
Earlier, the benchmark 72 Midway Handicap (1600m) saw Newcastle mare Decadent Tale finish strongly from well back to score under Alysha Collett’s brother Jason.
Decadent Tale ($8.50) reeled in November Falls, who’d attempted to lead all the way, to win drawing away by a length. Pure Hydrogen, who made up good ground along the rail, was a further 2¼ lengths away in third place.
“It was a lovely ride from Jase,” said winning trainer Jason Deamer.
“He said, ‘I’ll just ride her quiet knowing she’ll handle the wet (heavy 9) and just poke through.’ Exactly what he said before the race was exactly how he rode her so it was very well done by him.
“She’s been very consistent during the last year and it was good to see her win. She’s a tough little mare and gives her heart every time she goes around and every time you put her in.”
Collett agreed, saying: “She’s very honest. Every run I’d been on her previously, she’d performed well without winning and when I was last horse off the bridle today, I thought I’d get my chance. The leader did kick and I didn’t have a lot there in the tank late, but I had the momentum.”
Little Nip, big heart
The following race saw Nipotino ($6.50) give Goulburn trainer Danielle Seib her seventh win in the TAB Highway series.
The four-year-old came from midfield under apprentice Hannah Williams to win the 1100-metre Class 3 by a half-length from Syrian Star with Ticklebelly three-quarters of a length away in third place.
“He’s only a little fella but he’s all heart,” Williams said.
“We just got a nice run in transit. We were caught a little wide but it didn’t matter too much. He hit the line strongly.”
‘Miracle’ stuns Widdup
Later on the program, Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup admitted to his shock after Ruby Flyer ($4.40 favourite) charged through late to win the 1600-metre Racing and Sports Handicap.
“I’ve just seen a miracle!” he declared.
Apprentice Dylan Gibbons looked to be hopelessly pocketed for much of the straight but found a gap with about 100 metres to go and burst through to win drawing away from Danish Fortune by a length and a half, with a long neck to third-placed Palmetto.
“At the 100 metres I thought, ‘What’s happened here?’ and then when it finished I was a bit gobsmacked actually,” Widdup said. “It was a huge win and I thought I was no hope with 100 metres to go so it’s obviously a good surprise.
“We’re very lucky to get a horse like this. He obviously has a lot of ability.”
Around the traps
Last Saturday’s meetings scheduled for Kembla Grange and Parkes were abandoned due to the state of the tracks following torrential rain in those areas. The Mallawa picnic meeting, however, did go ahead.
There, the 1400-metre Mallawa Picnic Cup went to Inzaghi ($4.40) for the reliable picnic firm of Dubbo trainer Connie Greig and jockey Leandro Ribeiro.
The win brought up a double for Greig, who’d won the opening race with Pahang, ridden by apprentice Arthur Pollock. Pollock also finished the meeting with a winning double.
The previous day at Albury, Mathew Cahill rode four winners including two for local trainer Ron Stubbs.

Sunday at Taree the feature Wingham Cup (1614m) went to Dreamdeel, trained at Wyong by Allan Kehoe and ridden by apprentice Shae Wilkes.
Earlier, the Corey Brown Cup (1262m) went to Touch of Navy ($3.60), trained at Newcastle by John Bannister and ridden by Andrew Gibbons, who rode three of the first four winners.
In the Central Tablelands, Mudgee trainer Mack Griffith took the Gulgong Gold Cup (1200m) with $2.70 favourite Musical Affair, ridden by Jake Pracey-Holmes.
Coming attractions
This Saturday sees the Walgett Jockey Club in the state’s north conduct its annual P.J. O’Brien Memorial meeting, featuring the 1400-metre Walgett Cup. The same afternoon, the Bligh Picnic Race Club will hold its annual race meeting at Mudgee.
Sunday in the central west is Coonamble Cannonball day, the Showcase meeting offering $275,000 in prizemoney, with the Cannonball (1100m) worth $35,000 and a Super Maiden Plate (1600m) worth $50,000.