The famous hit song “Some Days Are Diamonds” has struck many a chord with horse trainers since John Denver first propelled it to the top of the charts in 1981. Scone trainer Scott Singleton has endured many days of the “stone” variety in his twenty years of training, but it was diamonds galore from the get-go at his home track stand alone meeting on Saturday. Scott’s four runners for the day produced two wins and a second with a nice little splash of black type thrown in. He kicked off with two runners in the 1600m TAB Highway - the ultimate winner Fiorsum Fred and the unplaced Bush Telegraph.
Some wondered why former Queensland apprentice Jace McMurray had the ride on Fiorsum Fred rather than Scott’s own apprentice Mitch Stapleford. “It goes back to the previous Saturday when Mitch preferred to ride at Kembla rather than The Coast meeting at Gosford,” said Scott. “I needed a 3 kg claim on Ritzsun at Gosford and decided to use the Queensland lad who was getting plenty of wraps. He rode the horse perfectly in finishing a close second. I nominated two horses for the Scone TAB Highway declaring Jace on Fiorsum Fred and Mitch on Zoomorphic. When Zoomorphic didn’t get a run Jace stayed on Fiorsum Fred and Mitch finished up riding the fourth placegetter Rajnish for Cameron Crockett.”
Jace McMurray commenced a three month loan-out to Michael Freedman at Randwick only a few weeks ago after an amazing year in Queensland which had brought him 96 winners and high praise from experienced observers. His talents were on display at Scone as he angled Fiorsum Fred over from a wide gate to be midfield one off the fence at the end of 300m. McMurray had the four year old travelling sweetly all the way to the turn where he found himself in restricted room. The young rider was aggressive in pushing between horses on straightening, and the race was over in a twinkling.
Queenslander Jace McMurray wins his first Saturday metro race in NSW - the TAB Highway at Scone on Fiorsum Fred - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“The horse hadn’t raced for nine weeks but there was a good reason for that,” said Singleton. “I’d had this race in mind since March when he finished close up in a good race at Rosehill. Had he won a race after that he wouldn’t have been eligible for Scone, so I decided to give him a short “freshen” and use our regular jump-outs to keep him ticking over. Everything came together and Jace’s ride was a cracker. The horse can get a bit keen on occasions, but the young bloke had him quite relaxed. He’ll be in big demand with his 3 kg claim going forward.”
The Singleton stable wasn’t represented again until the sixth race when one of Scott’s all time favourites Dollar Magic stepped out for a BM 78 with Mitch Stapleford utilising his 3 kg claim. It was decided to go forward in the 1100m “scamper” and not surprisingly the genuine mare had to contend with the spot outside the leader Zealously. As is her custom Dollar Magic never stopped trying down the long Scone straight to finish just under two lengths from Zealously with the others well astern. “She’s just a wonderful mare for the stable,” said her trainer and part owner. “Her record is unbelievable - four wins, thirteen seconds and three thirds for over half a million dollars. They’re hard to find.”
Like most Hunter Valley based trainers, Scott has long nursed the ambition to win the prestigious Dark Jewel Classic, feature event on Scone’s big day of the year. Named after a broodmare gem of yesteryear, the race had modest beginnings in 1993 but started to attract the attention of bigger stables when elevated to listed status in 1999. A further promotion to a Gr 3 ranking in 2014 and prize money of $250,000, has seen the Dark Jewel Classic become a priority for owners of fillies and mares. Dark Jewel, a daughter of legendary stallion Star Kingdom won only three moderate city races in the 1950’s, but was destined for greatness as a broodmare. Her progeny won a total of twenty eight stakes races between them and included such luminaries as Baguette, Cabochon, Heirloom, Betelgeuse and Birthright.
This grainy old press photograph shows Dark Jewel (Stan Cassidy) winning a 2YO Maiden at Canterbury in 1955 from Waleska (outside) and Heavenly Star.
Scott Singleton had no doubt Melody Again had the ability to win the 2025 edition, but knew he had to get all the ducks lined up. “She has to be in the right headspace on the day, and most importantly has to have exactly the right ride,” said the trainer. “To begin with she never jumps quickly so you know she’s going to be giving them a start. By the same token you can’t bustle her. She has to find her feet and get balanced. From very early in her career she’s had a tendency to hang out on the corners. She’s fine in the straights, but wants to “crab” around the bends and shift out. A shout out to young Leesheele Small who did a great job to win on Melody Again at Dubbo last month, while Christian Reith’s ride on the mare in the Dark Jewel was a masterpiece.”
Scott formed the opinion some time ago that Reith seemed to have a way with Melody Again and it’s a matter of record that the veteran has ridden the quirky mare in eight of her last nine starts. Predictably she was last away on Saturday but the experienced jockey immediately committed to letting her find a rhythm close to the fence. She was last of the 15 runners at the halfway mark where you could clearly see Reith allowing her to do whatever she wanted to do. He got Melody Again to make the hometurn fairly tractably and it was here a lucky break came her way. Melody Again had been following Dark Glitter from the outset and was still on her coat tails when that mare gained a lucky rails run at the 300m. She was able to follow Dark Glitter right through on the fence as Written In Code loomed menacingly on the outside. Reith adroitly pushed Melody Again between Written In Code and Dark Glitter, by which time the Scone mare was in full flight. She drew clear to beat the Archibald trained Written In Code and Scott Singleton finally had his hands on the coveted Dark Jewel trophy.
Christian Reith's performance to get Melody Again home in the Dark Jewel Classic was perhaps the ride of the day anywhere in Australia on Saturday - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
It was obvious in Scott’s post race interview with Sky’s Gavin Carmody that he was moved by the win. Perhaps the presence on course of owners Max and Sally Kowalczuk triggered his emotional reaction. “Max and Sally bred this mare and were delighted to see her win a Gr 3 race,” said Scott. “More importantly they supported me when I started training over twenty years ago and have rarely been without a horse or two in the stable. It was so good to see them there on Saturday. What can I say about Christian Reith. He rode my very first winner at Bathurst and here he is winning the Dark Jewel Classic for me at Scone nineteen years later. I hope other trainers noticed his amazing ride on Saturday. He was fantastic on a difficult mare.”
At 46 years of age, Christian has now joined the veteran ranks but retains his enthusiasm for a job that has seen him ride a very impressive 1600 winners. He has four Gr 1 wins on his CV - a Coolmore Stud Stakes on Nechita, a Rosehill Coolmore Classic on Dixie Blossoms, a Spring Champion Stakes on Complacent, and a Randwick Guineas on Le Romain. Add half a dozen Gr 2’s, 15 Gr 3’s and 33 listed races and you’ve got the record of a very serious jockey. Christian is now based in the Hunter and is a regular at Newcastle trackwork, while his race day services are sought by discerning trainers at provincial and country meetings. It’s unlikely there was a better ride anywhere in Australia on Saturday than Christian Reith’s “masterclass” in the Dark Jewel.
Scott Singleton relocated from Hawkesbury to Scone in 2019 and wouldn't change a thing. Here he is after a win with Comonic at the same Scone meeting in 2023 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.