APPRENTICE William Stanley celebrated his permanent move to Newcastle with an important milestone at Scone today as provincial trainers collected five of the eight races.
It was a transferred provincial meeting scheduled for Gosford – which resumes racing on February 22 after a nine months’ hiatus – and the former country apprentice was successful on two of the five provincial-trained winners.
Stanley scored on Apache Breeze ($9.50) for Wyong’s Wayne Seelin in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m), and Smiling Prophet ($6.50) in the F&M Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m) for Newcastle’s Mark Minervini.
Jason Deamer (Newcastle) took the Benchmark 64 Handicap (2200m) with Jack Duggan ($3.60), Sara Ryan (Wyong) won the Maiden Plate (1200m) with $1.28 hotpot Koios, and fellow Wyong trainer John Cooper collected the Super Maiden Handicap (1000m) with Listins Lass ($6.50).
Stanley transferred to leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees on loan from Orange trainer Alison Smith several months ago, and rode his first provincial winner ($11 chance Dances With Hooves for Scone trainer Cameron Crockett) at Newcastle on December 14.
“This is both my first double since I moved to Newcastle and also my first provincial double,” an obviously delighted Stanley said en route home.
“My indentures have now been transferred to Kris, and getting this provincial double hopefully will provide me with further traction after also winning a race in town yesterday.”
Stanley, who began his career at Bathurst with his wife Chelsea’s mother Wanda Ings, rode a winner (Dot The Eye) at the Bedgerabong picnics on February 13, 2021 at his first ride.
His Scone double took his season tally to 18 (and career to 92), and put the icing on a big week for him.
He scored on Smiling Prophet’s trainer Mark Minervini’s promising young sprinter Shall Be at Newcastle last Saturday, and also won on Opal Fields for Sydney trainer John Thompson at the midweek Warwick Farm meeting yesterday.
Apache Breeze’s trainer Wayne Seelin is eyeing a crack at the Provincial-Midway Championships with his lightly-raced gelding, who made it three wins from six starts.
Stanley is now unbeaten from two rides on the gelding, having also won on him at $26 on debut at Muswellbrook on November 5.
“William does his homework, and knows what he wants to do in a race when he comes out of the jockeys’ room,” Seelin said.
“He is a terrific young man and a good rider, and gives you confidence before he gets on the horse.”
Apace Breeze, a four-year-old son of Duporth, was impressive in taking a Midway Class 1 Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle on December 14 before performing below his best at Canterbury on New Year’s Day.
“He might have had enough at the time, and also struck a firm track and drew the outside barrier,” Seelin said.
“I backed off him after that run for a couple of weeks and freshened him up because I’ve had the Provincial-Midway Championships in mind.
“I might run him next in a Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap at Newcastle, and then look at one of the qualifying races.”
Whilst Stanley has been on a run the past week, so too has Mark Minervini.
Smiling Prophet was his fourth winner from his last seven starters.
Minervini scored with King’s Duty at Wyong on January 6, and then added a double with Ocean Joy and Shall Be at home last Saturday.
The Scone double took him to a career 485 winners, and is now in sight of a milestone 500.
Story John Curtis, February 6, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos
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