David Atkins-trained Contributingfactor back to winning ways at Newcastle

The gelding won three of his first six starts in the spring and two of those were at Newcastle. He started favourite in his previous start over 1400m at Randwick but was 15 lengths off the leader at the 800m on a day when backmarkers could not make up ground on a testing track, and he finished midfield with Hugh Bowman aboard.

On Saturday, apprentice Chris Williams adopted different tactics and the $2.25 favourite raced outside leader Sian from the 1000m mark. He dashed clear 200m out and held off the challengers to win by 0.8 of a length.

Bred by his part-owner and trainer David Atkins, Contributingfactor has had 10 starts for four wins and a second. His other part-owner is Matt Chidgey, a Newcastle businessman and long-time client of Atkins.

Chidgey, who was on track, races Newcastle's best two-year-old Promitto, which is unbeaten in twos starts, including the group 2 Skyline Stakes.

Hawkesbury three-year-old Global Ausbred confirmed his staying potential with an easy win in the 1870m benchmark 64 handicap.

The Brad Widdup-trained colt began well from his outside barrier and Jean Van Overmeire sent him forward to lead and he was never headed in winning by two lengths. The son of Japanese sire Maurice has won three of his past four starts.

Peter and Paul Snowden won the final race, just 13 minutes after they took out the Doomben 10,000 with Mazu at Eagle Farm. Their Newcastle winner was Revitalist, which stormed home from back in the field to claim the John Whitmore Memorial (1200m) by one and half lengths.

Newcastle-raised group 1-winning jockey Blake Spriggs and former Kiwi Hutchings shared the riding honours with doubles.

Spriggs won on In A Step for jockey turned trainer Peter Graham and Miracle Spin for Matthew Smith.

Hutchings was successful on Backrower, for Michael Freedman, and Revitalist.

MORE IN SPORT:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: