In Cahoots may run in one of two races on the second day of The Championships at Randwick on April 19 and a decision on Scone will probably be made after that.

“We are looking at either the Royal Sovereign Stakes or another race for three-year-olds over 1400 metres,” his Newcastle based trainer Phillip Atkins said.

That race is the Listed South Pacific Classic.

“The Scone Guineas has been in the back of our mind for some time and still is but we like to take one race at a time,” Atkins said.

“He hasn’t won beyond 1200 metres but I have no doubt he will run a strong 1400 metres.

“If he was to win or run a really good race at Randwick we would have to give very serious thought to Scone.”

The $4000,000 Inglis Guineas (1400m) will be run on Saturday, May 17, the second day of Scone’s two day carnival and the club’s stand alone metropolitan meeting.

While the Gosford Guineas was run on a bog track Atkins was surprised how well In Cahoots handled it, beating the Hawkes trained favourite Chautaugua.

“He had won and been placed in trials on slow tracks but nothing like the conditions he ran in last Sunday,” Atkins said.

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The memory of Nathan Berry was honoured at last Friday’s Scone meeting with a minutes silence, flags flying at half mast and all jockeys wearing black arm bands.

Scone is special to the memory of Nathan and his family.

It was at the Scone Cup meeting in 2007 that he rode his first winner, on High Papa, for his father Kevin.

And when the minutes silence was observed there was not a sound across the race course except the rain, which only added to the sombre mood.  

***

There were more sad memories of Nathan Berry after the Paul Messara trained Rock Magic scored a first up win in the Inglis Triple Crown Is Alive On Guineas Race Day Class Three (900m).

“Nathan won two on him at Canterbury for us,” foreman Barry Wintle said.

“This win is tinged with sadness.

“The horse never came up last preparation so Paul sent him back to the paddock but that win shows he is on his way back to what he showed us in his first prep. “The horse will go back to the city now.”

***

Emotions also ran high for a group of owners, trainer Greg Bennett was left shaking his head in disbelief and bookmakers were cheering when the diminutive four-year-old Geoffro Dean ($21) won the HTBA Save the Hunter Valley Class One.

Geoffro Dean was born just days after the well known Geoffrey Dean Egan, a strong supporter of the stable, was buried in September 2009.

A group of his friends, Terry Wicks, Sharon Wicks, Paul Simpson and Robert Collison, along with Bennett, race the horse and elected to name it in his honour.

Last week they buried another of their friends, Rodney “Rocket” Lawrence.

“Rodney was not in this horse but he was a strong supporter of mine and a good friend of all the boys in Geoffro Dean,” Bennett said.

Geoffro Dean was having his first start since a long spell and an indifferent preparation last time in while Bennett was unsure whether he would handle the heavy track.

“Now we know he will,” Bennett said.

***

Scone trainer, Dean Mchardie, was at work in the washery at Liddell mine when Roulette Belle (Vad Bolozhinsky) turned in a tough effort to win the Coolmore Home Of Champions Class One (1200m).

Winarvi attempted to lead all the way and opened up a big break soon after turning for home.

She looked to have the race safely in her keeping until Roulette Belle, a last start maiden winner at Tamworth, set out after her and gradually closed the gap to win by a neck.

***

The Rod Northam trained On The Que Tee has emerged as one of the most improved gallopers in the Hunter Valley following her last to first win in the Follow Dundeel At therealdeel.com.au Benchmark 60 (1600m).

Paul King was having his first ride since breaking his knee cap in a barrier mishap at Kembla Grange in mid January.

King brought On The Que Tee from last early to grab the lead near the line and beat Star Thriller by a long head.

On The Que Tee has gone from winning a maiden at Muswellbrook to winning a Class One at Scone to winning this race, all in the space of 19 days.

 “I think she will get over more ground and she could win a nice three-year-old fillies race somewhere,” Northam said.