At this time of year the provincial maiden races on a Saturday can throw up some promising new 3YO winners worth following to town and we saw two debut winners at Kembla that can go in the Black Book.
A homebred for Richard Johnstone of Bylong Park, the Kerry Parker trained Cosmic Force gelding Rhythm of the Rein was a short priced favourite for the 1000m maiden after winning a recent trial at his home track.
He ran right up to that on race day when dashing clear for Jean Van Overmeire top win by more than a length in a slick 57.26 seconds.
Kerry Parker has had plenty of luck previously with Bylong Park bred horses including his multiple Group I winner Think it Over and while Rhythm of the Rein has a long way to go to reach those heights, he is on his way.
Rhythm of the Rein is the second winner from Cadencia, a half-sister by Street Cry (IRE) to Group II winner Derryn and to the dam of Group III winner Arabian Summer from the True Blonde branch of the Easy Date family.
Cadencia was back at Newgate last spring and is due to foal to Capitalist.
Also winning on debut for the Michael Freedman stable was flashy Stay Inside colt Schumacher in the James Harron Bloodstock colours.
He was favourite for the 1200m maiden and scored by half a length for Lee Magorrian in a promising display from a colt with an intriguing pedigree.
A pinhook winner before he was a racetrack winner, Schumacher was a $120,000 Inglis Australian weanling purchase for Silverdale Farm from Sledmere Stud and then fetched $650,000 when offered by them at Inglis Easter and bought by James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership / Tony Fung Colts.
Schumacher is the first foal from imported stakes-winner Schwesterherz (Fr), who was a winner to 2000m and is a half-sister to Group III winner Noble Moon and stakes-winner Noble Alpha from Group III winner Nouvelle Noblesse.
The family is packed with Euro Black Type mile to middle distance horses so Schumacher might have a few strings to his bow.
Schwesterherz has a yearling colt and 2YO filly to follow that are both by Stay Inside.
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