Her first 12 starts did nothing to attract punters but she has now won twice in her past six starts – and it could easily have been three when she lost by a short half head at Benalla on January 12 – after being sent out at 50/1.
But in the $22,000 Mark Leonard Pluming Handicap over 1500m at Yarra Valley on Saturday, with regular hoop Madison Lloyd in the saddle, Brighton Toff turned that around to win by a half head – and still at an attractive 11/1.
Despite the odds, Newton said he wasn’t surprised by his runner’s performance.
“She's been in really good form of late,” he said.
“She's had those two wins – and yes, it should have been three – but she’s obviously a strong runner and is starting to really show her talent.”
Which is not exactly how the race caller saw it on the weekend when Lloyd and the Toff were way back in a field being stretched out by the frontrunners.
He said the second half of the field, including Brighton Toff, were gone at the 600m; just too far back.
But Lloyd, who had clung to the rail with a lot of cover for an easy run, had other ideas.
In a fairly open race the 7/2 shot Malevolent was controlling the race from the front and with about 800m to go quickened the rating and spreadeagled the field.
But as they came off the back and into the turn things suddenly got very crowded – except for Malevolent and Geileis, which stole a two-length break as they straightened and looked set to fight it out.
Lloyd was given one brief window of opportunity on the bend and squeezed through – but still looked too far back to have any impact on the finish.
When Hammer ‘n’ Tone wound up to have a crack, Lloyd also popped the question but with 150m to go and still four or five lengths adrift it looked nigh on impossible.
But Lloyd had timed it to perfection and a few touch ups with the whip and Brighton Toff responded by turning on the afterburners, grabbing Hammer ‘n’ Tone on the line with a desperate lunge.
Newton said the trick to his mare’s new form was her training regime – and Lloyd’s mature riding for a 19-year-old.
“We've freshened her up a few times, giving her three or four weeks off regularly to keep her running at her best,” Newton explained.
“And it’s worked really well for us – and her,” he said.
“She was ready to have a good showing in this race and showed it in the final stages.”
Newton also held high praise for Lloyd, who already has 32 wins and 96 placings in her short career.
“She's a really skilled young rider,” Newton added.
“She's got a lot of ability and rode a really good race. She made her charge at the exact right moment and it delivered the result.
“She's going to be a great jockey for a long time,” he said.
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