SCHOOL’S out - and a city winner’s in for Newcastle-based Brazilian jockey Jose Severo.
At his first metropolitan ride at Warwick Farm today, 24-year-old Severo won the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) on pregnant mare So Newchee Thinks ($11) for leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees.
The four-year-old mare, raced by her breeder, Singapore-based Wall Street Thoroughbreds, relished the heavy conditions to upset $2.15 favorite It’s A Wonder.
It was the second success for the daughter of So You Think and Casino Prince mare Wahng Wah (who Lees prepared for five wins), having broken through, also on a heavy track, at Muswellbrook in July last year over 1750m.
Lees, who is attending the Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast, was thrilled for Severo’s immediate breakthrough in town.
“Jose arrived here last April to try his luck on the recommendation of Joao “Magic Man” Moreira, and has worked hard to be able to ride in races,” he said. “He goes to the University five days a week after trackwork to undertake an English course.
“School’s out at present and Jose doesn’t have to go back until next week, so this was a good opportunity to ride in town.
“Jose rode So Newchee Thinks at her first-up close third at Taree just before Christmas, and her owner was happy for him to stay with her.”
Severo arrived in Australia having ridden 239 winners – four of them at Group 1 level – and was Sao Paulo Jockey Club champion jockey in both 2020 and 2021.
Whilst he was able to ride trackwork and in barrier trials, RacingNSW stewards waited until his English was satisfactory before licensing him to compete in races.
Severo finished third at his first two Australian rides, on the Lees pair Thundering Soul at Newcastle on October 19 and Like Lukey at Scone six days later.
He rode his first Oz winner at Scone on November 11 at his seventh ride, on Denman mare Like Lukey, and then clinched a hat-trick, subsequently also riding her to victory at Muswellbrook on November 24 and Hawkesbury on December 15.
So Newchee Thinks was his sixth Australian winner from 33 rides.
So Newchee Thinks is in foal to Starspangledbanner, and cannot race past February 1.
“We had a couple of races planned for her, and this was one, so we will be able to start her again before she is retired,” Lees said.
Lees also has So Newchee Thinks’ three-year-old younger sister You Wangh in work. She has started only twice, and was rested after also showing her liking for heavy ground by winning a 1400m Maiden Plate at Scone last September.
Severo has five rides at Friday’s Newcastle meeting initially scheduled for Gosford.
Meanwhile, Lees has withdrawn Bubba’s Bay from the $1m Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday, and instead she will contest the $1m Magic Millions Fillies & Mares (1300m).
Bubba’s Bay, chasing her 12th win, drew the outside in the Snippets and fared a little better against her own sex.
. There are two early withdrawals from the $500,000 Wyong Leagues Group The Lakes (1600m) at Wyong Race Club’s historic inaugural Saturday stand-alone metropolitan meeting.
Coastwatch and Geriatrix have been taken out, lessening the field to 12 starters.
Lees has the only two provincial runners, Almania (Ben Osmond) and Spangler (Andrew Gibbons).
He has reported to stewards that Almania underwent a right tendon sheath tenoscopy since last racing on September 7.
The 10-race Wyong program begins at 12.35pm, with The Lakes to be run at 4.40pm and race eight.
Story John Curtis, January 8, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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