The Prostate Cancer Foundation Of Australia silks were prominent on Clubs NSW Men’s Health Charity Race Day greeting the judge twice.
It was two local runners that carried the flag for the charity, with Kristen Buchanan’s impressive debutant Bullet Wing and Damien Lane’s Fielding (pictured above) winning their respective races.
Jan Bowen’s progressive mare Running Bear was an eye-catching winner, along with the Waterhouse/Bott The Milkybar Kid.
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The James Ponsonby trained Alloway opened the program with a dominant win in the THE ENTRANCE LEAGUES CLUB 4YO&UP CLASS 1 & MAIDEN, out staying his rivals over the 2000m.
The $120,000 Magic Millions yearling, was having only his third start for the stable, having previously been trained in Victoria where he was placed second in the Listed Tasmanian Derby over 2200m.
He was coming off a third at Cowra and Ponsonby wasn’t surprised to see him improve over more ground.
Winona Costin settled the Wandjina four-year-old just off the speed, before hitting the front in the straight and drawing away for a three-length victory.
Ponsonby had expected a nice performance by Alloway and wasn’t disappointed.
“I thought today’s run might have been a fraction short of his best, but knew he was going to get a good chance from the nice draw,” he said.
“He’s a lovely horse to train.”
Alloway ($6.50) beat Karen Outrim’s Mr Luke ($10) who fought on in the straight, with Dunlee trained by Nikki Pollock ($41) third.
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An impressive win by Kristen Buchanan’s Bullet Wing, taking out the 1350m MINGARA RECREATION CLUB MAIDEN on debut, giving the stable a winning start for new owners Trilogy.
Buchanan made the right decision choosing the home track option, after scratching the three-year-old from a 1300m race at Scone on Tuesday.
Koby Jennings was able to cross the field and lead from barrier nine, and despite the early effort Bullet Wing was able to hold out his rivals on the line to win by almost a length.
“He’s a really lovely horse and it’s great to get the win today,” Buchanan said.
“We’ve been patient with him and had to scratch him a couple of times due to wide barriers. He drew wide again today but we decided to send him around. Koby just let him roll to the front and dictate terms and he had plenty in the tank to finish it off.
“It’s exciting to have my first winner for Trilogy. I have numerous yearlings coming to me from them and this was our first runner today. It was also their first runner that wasn’t a tried horse, so it’s exciting all-round.”
Bullet Wing was coming off two nice trials at Randwick and Scone.
The Joe Pride trained $2.25 favourite The Replicant ran on fairly to finish second and could be looking for more ground, over Feirme Prince ($8) from the Matthew Dunn yard.
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Pokerjack was sent out $1.80 favourite in the AINSWORTH LEISURE GROUP 4YO&UP MAIDEN (1100m) and didn’t disappoint with the win never in doubt.
Apprentice Amy McLucas put in a well-rated ride to help secure victory for the four-year-old, who had been runner-up in three of his previous six starts.
Pokerjack, a four-year-old Casino Prince gelding, was coming off a second at Hawkesbury on May 22 over the 1000m.
The rise in distance and firm track were in his favour and McLucas sat just outside the leader before drawing away close to the line to win by half a length.
Gary Moore’s Harapan ($5.50) hit the line well in second, with the Buchanan trained Oakfield Blossom ($6.50) holding on for third.
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Damien Lane stamped his three-year-old Fielding as a horse with a future after his breakthrough win in the 1100m GOSFORD RSL CLUB 3YO MAIDEN.
It had been a frustrating run for Lane with the son of Deep Field, who had been placed in all his five previous starts.
“It was a relief today for sure,” Lane said. “It’s been frustrating to say the least. “We’ve had all sorts of problems with him early and drawn some bad barriers, but he has raced in good company.
“His whole attitude has changed, and he’s grown into a lovely horse with plenty of ability.
“He pricked his ears late today and it was quite soft in the end. He’s definitely going in the right direction.”
Fielding, raced by a syndicate including Lane and his wife Kate, was sent out $2.40 favourite and given a well rated ride by apprentice Jackson Searle.
He beat the Ron Quinton trained Miss Mya ($8) who isn’t far off a win, with the Waterhouse/Bott All Too Scottish ($14), third.
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The addition of blinkers made the difference to the Waterhouse/Bott trained The Milkybar Kid ($2fav), who atoned from his last start defeat to win the STAR FM 104.5 MAIDEN over 1600m.
The Reliable Man gelding looked to have the race won at Gosford on May 26 before running off the track in the final stages.
He was trialled in blinkers and the stable was confident he could break though.
Tim Clark settled the three-year-old midfield, gaining ground from the 600m and hitting the front on straightening.
He was able to find the fence in the straight and sped away to score by more than four lengths.
“He trialled well with the blinkers on, and this looked like the right race for him today,” stable representative Neil Paine said.
“It’s a good steppingstone for him. Gai and Adrian have started a lot of horse’s careers around here and this could be another.”
The winner is co-owned by former AJC Chairman Bob Charley.
The O’Shea trained Count On Me ($3.40) was second, over Dash Dash Dash prepared by Ian Finn ($14).
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A super ride by Sam Clipperton secured victory for the well supported Dom Tycoon in the 1600m THE ROOS FOUNDATION BM64.
Clipperton took an early lead on the four-year-old and was able to get some cheap sectionals in the middle stages.
He fought on strong to the line, able to hold out the fast-finishing Oakfield Storm ($4.40) from the Buchanan yard, with the O’Shea trained favourite Denarau ($2.70fav) third.
Robl said Dom Tycoon had come off his last start fourth at Hawkesbury in good form.
“He’s normally genuine when he finds form. Sam has won on him here previously and I had expected him to be near the lead.
“He prefers the firmer tracks and everything going well I expected him to be hard to beat today.”
The four-year-old by Written Tycoon, brought up his fifth win at start 23.
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Progressive Muswellbrook mare Running Bear brought up win number three in impressive style beating a strong field in the THE BELLA GROUP BM64.
Trained by Jan Bowen and ridden by Ashley Morgan, the daughter of Your Song, is amassing a good record with three wins and five placings from just 13 starts.
She was coming off a second in the Highway at Randwick on May 28 and kept firm in the betting starting at $6.50.
Morgan placed her just behind the speed in the early stages, before circling the leaders on the turn and drawing away in the straight to win by almost two lengths.
“We threw her in the deep end last start at Randwick and she handled herself brilliantly,” Justin Bowen, representing the stable said.
“We thought if she could repeat that performance she’d be in the finish and that’s what happened.
“We don’t come this way often, unless we think we’ve got a chance, and it worked out today.”
Gary Moore’s Stay Wealthy ($26) finished strongly in second, with The Chosen One ($10), trained by Damien Lane, making up ground in the straight for third.
Stewards adjourned an inquiry into Rachel King’s riding out of Adios Steve in the final stages.
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The favourite salutes in the last with the Bjorn Baker trained Divine Okay ($2.50) too strong for his opposition in a competitive Class 1.
The Capitalist gelding brought up his second win at start four in the 1100m DOYALSON RSL CLASS 1, courtesy of a great ride by Josh Parr.
He pinched what proved to be a winning break on the turn and sped away in the straight, able to hold out the fast-finishing import Siyata from the O’Shea stable, with the luckless Tocomah ($4.60), trained by Gary Frazer, third.
“We were pretty keen on him today. It looked an ideal race,” Glen Lobb said.
“He was a bit unlucky last start and didn’t get beat that far. I thought if he landed in the first four or five, he’d be hard to hold out.”
