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www.racingnsw.com.au with his own ideas and excellent references, so we are really excited about him starting. “He has experience with StrathAyr and during the interview we were impressed with his knowledge of that and the analytical approach he is going to bring running the tracks.” Prior to Nation arriving in Newcastle, Nation’s partner Maddison Derick – an apprentice jockey who has just joined the Kris Lees stable – had been riding for 18 months, riding 40 winners in her first six months. AUSTRALIAN BLOODSTOCK RE-SIGNS Newcastle Jockey Club has announced the re-signing of Australian Bloodstock as the sponsor of the Gr 3 Cameron Handicap for the 2021-2023 spring carnivals. The Cameron Handicap, first run in 1950, is the NJC’s only Group race for the sprinters in the spring. The strategic partnership between the NJC and Australian Bloodstock continues a long association between the two Hunter heavyweights, in what is a most successful and mutually beneficial relationship. “We are excited to be partnered with the NJC as both organisations continue to grow in stature and profile as industry leaders,” said Jamie Lovett, co-founder of Australian Bloodstock. NJC’s CEO, Matt Benson said: “Having a major supporter and industry icon like Australian Bloodstock sign on again at such a crucial time is really heartening and shows not only how genuine their commitment to local racing is, but how much faith they have in the club’s current trajectory and our ability to reward that loyalty.” NJC TO THE RESCUE Lower Hunter trainer, Todd Howlett is no longer eligible to nominate his horses for Country-only events such as the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko, the annual Country Championships and The Highways. Howlett, who has 35 to 40 horses in work at his property at Lower Belford, halfway between Maitland and Singleton, has made the move to the NJC. In his early days training, he lived at Singleton and worked his team at Cessnock. Since moving his team to Lower Belford, Howlett has made two to three trips a week to Muswellbrook to gallop the horses. However, after a frightening accident on the New England Highway in March while driving to Muswellbrook, Howlett successfully applied to work his horses at Newcastle. Howlett was very appreciative that he received approval from Matt Benson at the NJC to train at Newcastle. Todd said the move was a no brainer. “The NJC was very supportive as were Muswellbrook in the time I trained there, however, the accident with the paper truck shook me up. “The traffic going through Singleton in the early mornings was getting ridiculous. It was taking me an hour and 20 minutes to get to Muswellbrook compared to only 40 minutes to get to Newcastle.” ANOTHER SETBACK FOR CLENTON The talented Samantha Clenton has endured a setback in her road to recovery following a barrier accident in Port Macquarie on May 31. Clenton suffered a spinal fracture of her ring finger on her right hand when her mount Glowing Red broke through the barriers and dislodged her. Her hand and arm were placed in a cast while pins and wires were inserted to stabilise the break. Under instruction from her specialist, Clenton will remain on light duties at the Kris Lees stable for some time. The splint remains and Clenton is considering her future: “I don’t know if I will rush back to riding, it’s all up in the air. “I will talk to Kris and I will always have a job here even if I wasn’t riding in races. To tell you the truth, I am over getting hurt,” Clenton said. 25 Talented rider Samantha Clenton – has endured another setback on her road to recovery NEWCASTLE JOCKEY CLUB