Winning Horse: Melarita (Nz)

4yoM Rip Van Winkle (Ire) - Bak Da Chief (NZ)(Chief Bearhart (Can))

10 starts - 3 wins 2 seconds 3 thirds $61761

Other Wins

1st Seymour Parker Bros Earthmoving-Bm58 1600m (2020)

1st Mornington Neds Money Back Odds Mdn 1500m (2020)

Other Placings

3rd Sandown-Lakeside Ladbrokes Money Back Odds-Bm70 2100m (2020)

3rd Tatura Greater Shepparton Mdn Plate 1600m (2019)

3rd Benalla Royal Hotel Benalla Mdn Plate 1406m (2019)

2nd Tauranga Kiwi Bus Builders Mdn 1600m (2018)

2nd Arawa Park Interislander Fest. 27/12 Mdn 1400m (2018)

Race Result:

1st: Melarita (J McNeil/C Maher & D Eustace) - $3.10
2nd: Green Ivy (T Nugent/K & K Keys) - $17
3rd: Patricia Anne (W Gordon/L McGill) - $81

Winning Time: 2:11.15 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: Short Head x 1L

Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace (Ciaron on phone)

“Daryl Holland sent her to us and she’s a well related mare and good to now be a city winner. We’ll tick her through the grades if that’s what he wants us to do. She should be off to stud. We thought she was a bit fresh between runs but today she was right. She’s progressive.

“Well done to Jye. He has had a big weekend. Congratulations to him. He does a lot with our stable and he’s started the year like he finished.”

Winning Jockey: Jye McNeil

On a big weekend with the birth of his first child: “It’s been terrific, one I’ll never forget. We were there for a long time (at the hospital) and I’m exhausted so I couldn’t imagine how Jess (mum) is feeling.

“Unfortunately I couldn’t ride yesterday with the COVID restrictions in place, visiting times at the hospital is only 5pm-7pm, so I thought I was better off riding (today) than sitting at home thinking about it. Now I’m making the quick dash to the hospital.

“It all went well. It was a long process but he arrived at 8:02pm, it was definitely a memory I’ll hold onto forever.

“I can’t remember the length (of the baby) but he was just under 3-kilos and he looks pretty close to me. We were pretty happy, he’s the perfect little baby.

On the run: “She just wanted to hang in. I knew she could. I’ve ridden her a couple of times now. I checked out that inside section on the way to the barriers and as soon as I got into the straight and knew the cutaway was going to be there I made the quick dash to the inside so I had the rail to follow. I was then able to switch the whip into the left (hand) and she did well to hang on today.”