Classy five-year-old Fine Bubbles has completed an exceptional transition to black type racing at Newcastle this afternoon, displaying a superior turn of foot to win the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) with ease.

Jumping from the gates well, the Casino Prince mare settled in prime position within the pack; allowing early leaders Angel Bee, I’m In The Money and Valid Contract to set a noticeably pacey tempo over the back straight and rounding the bend.

Finding the line with a clear racing line, Fine Bubbles quickly spooled up and shot to the lead; finding the line more than two lengths in the clear of I’m In The Money; stable mate Gold Epona running on for third.

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees was understandably pleased to claim the local event, laying the praise on leading jockey James McDonald for a great ride.

“Great ride from James; before the race I said ‘from the gate you probably need to be going back but it doesn’t appear to be no speed, so you ride her how you see fit’, so that’s why you put these blokes on,” Lees said following the Tibbie Stakes.

“They did a great job with her up on the Gold Coast, sent her back in good order and I said to the boys you’ve got the Tibbie black type race a walk over the road, might as well have a throw at the stumps.”

Jockey James McDonald delivered a perfectly-timed ride on Fine Bubbles in the 2014 Tibbie Stakes and was pleased to partner the five-year-old to a maiden black type victory.

“We got one off just down the back so it was a lot of luck involved, and she jogged up like an open sprinter,” McDonald said immediately after dismounting.

“Super little mare, she’s very quiet, does everything you ask of her and she’s push button which is the main thing.

“I thought she was a genuine chance of running in the money, but I didn’t know she’d put the sword to them that easy – probably her glory days are over but she’s picked up a nice race here.”

In winning the 2014 Tibbie Stakes, Fine Bubbles secured a fifth race win in a career which has also delivered nine minor places over a total of 24 competitive starts.

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2014 Tibbie Stakes Results

Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Starting Price
1	9	FINE BUBBLES	Kris Lees	James McDonald	–	12	55kg	$12
2	5	I’M IN THE MONEY	Jeff Englebrecht	Tommy Berry	2L	5	55kg	$6EF
3	7	GOLD EPONA	Kris Lees	Glyn Schofield	2.8L	6	55kg	$21
4	2	BOUZY ROUGE	Luke Griffith	Ms Winona Costin (a)	3L	10	56kg	$6.50
5	12	RARE FRAGRANCE	Bryce Heys	Tye Angland	3.3L	7	55kg	$21
6	1	INTIMATE MOMENT (NZ)	Ron Quinton	Sam Clipperton	3.5L	13	57kg	$6EF
7	8	VALID CONTRACT	Kris Lees	Brenton Avdulla	3.7L	4	55kg	$9
8	4	DANESIRI	Wayne Wilkes	Jason Collett	4.2L	3	55kg	$9
9	3	ANGEL BEE (NZ)	Rodney Northam	Jim Byrne	4.4L	2	55kg	$6.50
10	11	AMARACHI	Tony McEvoy	Kerrin McEvoy	4.6L	8	55kg	$18
11	13	LOLAVIE	Paul Perry	Thomas Huet	6.6L	1	55kg	$101
12	10	SENSIBILITY	Peter G Moody	Robert Thompson	7.9L	9	55kg	$9.50
13	14	PANKO	David Atkins	Jim Cassidy	14.8L	11	55kg	$61