HE carries the name of a bronze dragon, but Mnementh turned in a “gold medal” performance at Royal Randwick on Saturday and earned a trip north.
The rising eight-year-old’s victory in the Listed Bob Charley AO Stakes (1200m) was his 11th for Kembla Grange trainer Mitch Beer, and lifted his earnings to near $700,000.
“I’ve had him for seven years, and have just learnt to pronounce his name,” Beer joked on Sunday morning.
“He has been a wonderful horse for our stable.”
A gelded son of Eurozone, Mnementh is the first foal of the Pendragon (hence his name) mare Yurrapendi, who was trained initially by the legendary Bart Cummings (who won a Newcastle 3YO Maiden, 1200m in 2011 with her), and later jointly with grandson James, and the pair also had success, landing a Cessnock Benchmark 60 Handicap, 1150m in 2014.
Ridden by Alysha Collett, who sustained a nasty eye injury at Rosehill Gardens a week earlier before the last half of the program was called off, Mnementh ($18) was brave in determinedly holding out $3.10 favorite Iowna Merc, who looked set for victory when he loomed menacingly in the straight.
After an excellent fourth in the Listed Gold Rush (1100m) at Hawkesbury’s stand-alone meeting on May 4, Mnementh was unplaced in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Scone’s metropolitan meeting a fortnight later.
But there was a plausible excuse for his Scone failure.
“He lost both front plates in running,” Beer explained.
“Mnementh has pulled up really well from his Randwick win, and we’ll give him the chance to land a nice race in Brisbane toward the end of the winter carnival.”
That is the $200,000 Group 3 Healy Stakes (1200m) at the Tattersall’s Racing Club meeting at Eagle Farm on June 29.
Mnementh was Beer’s 232nd career winner and 29th this season, providing further justification to his decision to relocate from Albury to trainer closer to the city at Kembla Grange last year.
“I had won four premierships at home, but was keen to test myself to see if I could keep improving and besides, the prizemoney in Sydney and the provincials is too good not to have a serious crack at.
“I’ve closed the Albury stable, and we’ve got 35 in work at Kembla Grange. It’s perfect.”
Beer earlier in the day ran second in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) with the consistent November Falls ($5), who was overhauled in the closing stages by Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer’s Decadent Tale ($8.50).
Deamer had to wait a week to snare a city victory with the six-year-old daughter of Kermadec, who also looked suited on heavy ground in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens until her race was a casualty of the last five races not being run.
But he wasn’t missing out this time.
“With such an early start because of the 11 races at Randwick we were on the road to Sydney by 6.45am,” Deamer said.
“Jason Collett gave her a great ride, and it was good to see her finally break through in town after seven placings (six in Sydney and one in Brisbane).
This was Decadent Tale’s sixth win, and she has also been placed on 14 occasions.
Deamer has trained three of the progeny of the mare’s dam Tale Of The Cougar (who raced only twice for fellow Newcastle trainer Kris Lees) – and won with all of them.
Decadent Tale’s half-brother War Cat (by Time For War) won three races for him, and he also produced the mare’s younger brother Sir Kerm to win a Newcastle Maiden (1200m) on debut in September 2022.
Meanwhile, Deamer has sent his talented sprinter Hard To Say for a well-earned break.
The seven-times winner – all on good tracks – was rested after finishing a close sixth to Opal Ridge in the Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) at Scone on May 18 on a “Soft 5”.
. HOOFNOTE: Beer won a further two races at the Sapphire Coast on Sunday with Mount Warning ($1.95 favorite) and Reward With A Rose ($4.80) – both ridden by Richard Bensley – to boost his career tally to 234.
Fellow Kembla Grange trainer Joe Ible also was successful at the Sapphire Coast, scoring with Bambi Belle ($1.75 favorite), ridden by apprentice Olivia Chambers.
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Gosford trainer Jake Hull trekked to the Northern Rivers on Saturday, and didn’t come home empty-handed.
He won the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1435m) with $8 chance Browned Off (Ben Looker); his 12th winner this season.
Jockey Andrew Gibbons hit the ground running at Taree on Sunday, landing three of the first four races.
Gibbons was successful on debutante Éclair Encore ($1.75 favorite), King Larry ($2.30 favorite) and Touch Of Navy ($3.60).
Éclair Encore was the first leg of a double for Kris Lees, who also won the following race with Rum Diary ($2 favorite), whilst fellow Newcastle trainer John Bannister prepares Touch Of Navy.
Darryl McLellan rode Rum Diary for Lees, and later also won on $31 roughie Intoxication.
Story John Curtis, June 9, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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