SYMMETRY BETWEEN NEWCASTLE WINNING PAIR

MARK Minervini and Jason Deamer are rivals, but there was a certain symmetry between the Newcastle trainers at the weekend.

Minervini produced newcomer Gemologist ($4.60) to score on debut at Muswellbrook last Friday, whilst his former classy mare Vormista is the dam of Deamer’s Jumeirah Beach ($6), who produced an amazing performance to take the opener at Hawkesbury’s 20th anniversary metropolitan stand-alone meeting yesterday.

The latter is the ninth foal of Vormista, who was a Group 2 winner in Melbourne for South Australian expat Minervini, and she was also twice runner-up (narrowly beaten both times) at Group 1 level, by Gold Edition in the Manikato Stakes at The Valley in 2007, and Apache Chat in the BTC Cup at Doomben the following year.

Both trainers continued excellent runs; Minervini posting his 17th winner this season as he nears a career 500, and Deamer his 18th since the beginning of the racing year on August 1.

Gemologist, a son of Graff (who won the 2YO Clarendon Stakes for Kris Lees at Hawkesbury’s 2018 stand-alone fixture), won the Star Kingdom 2YO Handicap, 1000m) on a heavy Muswellbrook track for breeders Steve and Lorraine Middeldorp.

“It’s a pleasure to train Gemologist for them, and they have a handy horse,” Minervini said today.

“I gave him two educational trials at home last December before a break, and then another two trials last month to prepare him for his first start.

“I was wary of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s $1m yearling buy Jet, but grew in confidence when that youngster was very colty in the parade ring.

“As a result, I felt he might not be on his game and that if we could keep in striking distance of him, we might be able to run him down.”

That is exactly what happened, as Minervini’s gelding, ridden by Aaron Bullock, took down $1.80 favorite Jet in the closing stages.

“Gemologist has pulled up well, and we’ll look for another suitable race for him in the coming weeks,” Minervini added.

Meanwhile, Deamer is eyeing a hat-trick with Jumeirah Beach at the approaching Scone carnival.

Once again, Deamer proved he is the successful “go to trainer” for Dynamic Syndications horses from Sydney stables.

This is his first preparation with the six-year-old, who began his career with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott at Royal Randwick before joining father and son Richard and Will Freedman at Rosehill Gardens.

The Freedmans won races with him at Muswellbrook, Mudgee, Canberra and Hawkesbury (midweek), and Deamer has now taken him to city level.

After scoring in a Benchmark 70 Handicap (1615m) at Doomben on April 12, Jumeirah Beach overcame difficulties in the straight to post his sixth career victory yesterday at Hawkesbury, bursting through late and in time to nab Wyong trainer Kim Waugh’s Northern Eyes ($11) in the closing stages.

“Jumeirah Beach has come through the Hawkesbury race well, and he can step up to 1700m in another Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap at Scone in a fortnight,” Deamer said.

Meanwhile, Deamer withdrew his good mare Rapt from yesterday’s $250,000 Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) to tackle Saturday’s $500,000 The Coast (for three and four-year-olds) at Gosford over the same distance.

Story John Curtis, May 4, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos