Port Macquarie, Wagga previews: Trainer Cassandra Schmidt unleashes a strong team for her first home meeting of 2025

Trainer Cassandra Schmidt and jockey Luke Rolls could claim half the card when Port Macquarie hosts its first meeting in 2025.

Local trainer Cassandra Schmidt looks set for a big day at Port Macquarie. Picture: Facebook

Trainer Cassandra Schmidt and jockey Luke Rolls can start the New Year with a bang thanks to four live chances spread across the eight race card at Port Macquarie’s first meeting in 2025.

The pair already have a shared tally of 13 winners but are short odds to add to the total via any one, or all, of a locally trained quartet of Schmidt-housed gallopers.

First of the four to go is Highland Mirage, a son of six-time Group 1 winner Highland Reel and boasting the 1986 New Zealand Derby winning filly Tidal Light as his fourth dam.

The former Victorian has placed at each of his two runs under the new management; the last one a narrow and brave second at Kempsey.

"Bellascent will beat them all!" 👏

The Joe Burges trained mare gets win number 1 on the board at double figure odds 💰 pic.twitter.com/ri4vRkfxAc

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 16, 2024

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“He was very unlucky last start,” Schmidt said. “He had to do work pretty much the whole race. He began a little bit awkwardly and then got back in the field, five and six wide, so Luke (Rolls) elected to try and roll forward to slot in and he ended up in front.

“I thought the horse was entitled to run last to be honest but to his credit, he fought on really well.

“I was very mindful that he had a tough run so he spent a few days at our farm in the paddock, just swimming, and having a bit of a freshen-up and he seems to have bounced back really well.”

Bookies pin-up Mr Damage has been costly and consistent in equal doses and while he has shed his share of fans along the way, Schmidt remains very much in the gelding’s corner ahead of his latest mission.

“He is a very honest horse,” she said. “You’d like to have a stable full of him.

“The only thing is, he seems to find one better but by no fault of his own.

“He’s had a few things go wrong throughout his career. He will often find himself in front a lot, he has very good natural gate speed, but a lot of the times he gets taken on in front or he never seems to get an easy peaceful time.

“So it is going to be tough for him on Friday. He’s got 61 kilos, drawn badly, but he is very honest and he’ll run a good race.

Nothing's Sacred makes it two wins on the trot for trainer Ben Blay! 👏 pic.twitter.com/cZOQIpmwAL

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 16, 2024

“It will be depending on if the work he does early takes a toll on him late.”

Waikato Stud-born and raised gelding Stand In Line looks well-placed in more ways than one to post his first win for the Schmidt and Rolls combination when he steps out in the Zmann Constructions Class 1 & Maiden Plate (1800m).

The son of Tivaci made an inauspicious start to his new life on the Coast with a distant last at Kempsey on November 30.

It was a different story at his return trip seventeen days when he had the race won until the very last stride.

“He didn’t go a yard in the Heavy 10 at his first run for us,” Schmidt explained.

“But he was very good at Kempsey last start. He has come through the run really well and 1800m around his home track, drawn well, hopefully he can find the front and make it is a good staying test because he can stay and he has won over further.”

Schmidt and Rolls’ last runner on the card comes up in the Glam Cam Booth Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m) where Typhoon Neta strives for her third career win, her second for Schmidt since joining her barn.

SEIB AT SHORT ODDS TO LAND MILESTONE WIN

Danielle Seib will be chasing her tenth Highway at Randwick on Saturday while she is chasing her 100th career winner at Wagga.

The Goulburn-based trainer has five chances to turn her current tally from 99 into triple figures namely Hellinda, Holy Hell, Bide Your Time, Perigean and Under The Hood.

Four of them five are TAB favourites while the other one is the second elect.

Seib is guaranteed to present the shortest-priced favourite of the day when Holy Hell steps out in a Country Maiden (1600m) after finishing fourth in a Super Maiden at Royal Randwick at only her second career start.

“We would like to go to the paddock with a win under her belt and be a maiden no longer,” Seib said.

“Just knock that off and then look to bigger things with her.

What a ride from @ZacLloydx!

Altair I Am gets home well to win at Randwick for @HawkesRacing! 💥 pic.twitter.com/qsriGfB0WT

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 26, 2024

“She is a real Wagga Guineas type.”

Seib had three races to choose from with her exciting three-year-old gelding Bide Your Time, who was a rare triple acceptor on the program, opting for the Riverina Crane Services Class 1 Handicap (1300m).

The Impending replica was a booming debut winner on Wagga’s ‘inner track’ on Christmas Eve in a 1200m Super Maiden.

“His ability wasn’t really the question first start, it was race craft, and I was really impressed with how he acquitted himself,” Seib said.

“He put himself in a nice spot and from that draw (4), he should be able to do that again and he will be benefited more by the extra distance and the bigger track.”

Perigean, a narrow but decisive last start winner for Seib, will travel to Wagga more than a month after his Canberra Class 1 win at his first start under the new management.

“I think once he hit the front, he switched off. He knew he had done his job,” Seib said.

“Had a couple of little setbacks leading into this hence the gap in between runs but he’s really well.

“He’s a nice horse. We’d like to see him put another one or two away and have a look at a Highway.”

All five of Seib’s Riverina-bound string will be ridden by Pierre Boudvillain who boasts a phenomenal 37.5 per cent win and 75 per cent place strike-rate for Seib.