It was a big day for the locals at Scone’s metro-class Saturday meeting last weekend, with the day’s main feature going to a mare trained at the track.
The Scott Singleton-trained Melody Again was unwanted in betting, easing from $31 to $41, but produced a mighty swooping effort to win the $250,000 Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) for fillies and mares under Christian Reith.
It was a game win by the mare as she was slow out of the barriers and had a chequered package in running before bursting through late to reel in the favourite, Written In Code, to win by a half-length with Dark Glitter a further length away in third place.
“That is like our Melbourne Cup,” said an ecstatic Singleton after the win.
“I thought if Melody Again had any chance of winning a race like this, it would be at home and when she was at the top of her game.
“When she walked into the yard, I thought if how she’s prepared speaks for anything, she’ll run a good race, because she looked so well.
“She missed the start and then was bolting on the turn. I thought this was going to need a good ride, which she got from Christian.
“I put Christian on this mare when she was being very difficult the preparation before last because he has such great hands. He’s stuck with me and only came here today for the one ride. He’s a very underrated jockey.”
Reith was similarly effusive about Singleton.
“I always love riding for Scott,” he said. “I respect him as a trainer and more so as a friend. He’s been very good to me.
“I haven’t been riding a lot but he’s always giving me opportunities so it’s a special moment to win this race on Melody Again.”
As for the tardy start, he explained: “That’s just her and she’s getting worse. When she does that, you can’t kick her up to try to hold a spot because you won’t hold her.
“If you get room you can’t let her slide into the run, because if you give her a bit of rein, she’ll just charge.
“You have to keep her balanced. If you do that, then that’s what she can do.”
The Dark Jewel win brought up a winning double for Singleton, who’d earlier taken out the Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap (1600m) with Fiorsum Fred, ridden by apprentice Jace McMurray.
“I just thought he was the right horse for this race,” Singleton said of the $6 favourite. “He should have already won a Highway; when he was second at Randwick, he was unlucky.
“You need a lot to go your way on the day and it worked out well. The kid (18-year-old McMurray) did a really good job.”
For the record, this was Singleton’s 400th winner.
Around the traps
On the previous day, the opening day of the two-day carnival, the feature $200,000 listed Scone Cup (1600m) also went to a non-metro trainer, in this case Newcastle’s Kris Lees, trained Tavi Time ($8), ridden by Jay Ford.
The win brought up a running double for Lees, who’d 40 minutes earlier won the 1300-metre Class 2 with Tasoraay ($3.80),ridden by Tommy Berry.   
At Albury the same afternoon, Wangaratta trainer Ben Brisbourne and jockey Lachlan King combined to win two races, while jockey Pierre Boudvillain also rode a double.
On Sunday, the $40,000 Parkes Cup (1600m) went to Knife’s Edge ($15), trained at Dubbo by Garry Lunn and ridden by apprentice Shannen Llewellyn.
Llewellyn then took out the final race on the program, a 1300-metre benchmark 58, aboard Miss Capricorn ($7) for another Dubbo trainer in Connie Greig.
That brought up a treble for the talented Llewellyn as she’d won the 1000-metre maiden that opened the program aboard the well backed $2.10 favourite Amoruso, trained at Tamworth by Craig Martin.
The $50,000 Super Maiden (1400m) on the Parks card went to $2.40 favourite Billabong Rose, ridden by Nick Heywood for Gulgong’s Brett Thompson.
At the Sapphire Coast meeting the same afternoon, the $50,000 Super Maiden (1200m) went to Platinum Ridge ($5.50), trained at Canberra by Luke Pepper and ridden by Brodie Loy.
The trainer and jockey combined again to win the final race on the program, the 1212-metre benchmark 58 with $1.95 favourite Hell Of A Fox.
One to follow from the Sapphire Coast might be The Unique Star, an impressive three-length winner of the 1010-metre benchmark 58 as $1.55 favourite.
Apprentice Rebecca Bronett Prag rode a winning double at the meeting to share riding honours with Loy, but it wasn’t a great day for apprentice Jake Barrett, who fell from his mount after passing the winning post in race two.
Taken to hospital complaining of a sore neck, Barrett was cleared of any fractures but was found to be suffering bone bruising and kept in hospital overnight for observation.
A coupla cups
This Saturday in the state’s north it’s cup day at the Moree picnics, with the main races over 950 and 1400 metres.
Sunday is cup day at Gunnedah, with the main feature over 1600 metres, supported by the Lightning Handicap over 1000 metres and a $50,000 Super Maiden over 1400 metres.
There’s also a $50,000 Super Maiden at Sunday’s Nowra meeting.