Grady Spokes rode his career-first winner, Gunnerside, in the opening race on Saturday at Coonamble. In the process, he beat home champion Picnic jockey Leandro Ribeiro in a close finish.
Aware he came from a good racing background and the fact he was making a very long trip from the north coast, the 19-year-old Spokes was given his chance on Gunnerside by Wellington trainer Karen McCarroll and her husband Stephen McCarroll, who shares ownership of the five-year-old chestnut gelding.
The son of Coffs Harbour jockey Raymond Spokes, who has ridden over 700 winners, Grady Spokes is a dedicated trackwork rider who was having only his second race ride in the 1100 metres Mens Shed Class B Handicap at Coonamble.
Third on the home turn, Gunnerside was tightened for room on the rails; however, Spokes, with an excellent ride, persevered for a clear run, and Gunnerside ($2.30 favourite) charged through on the inside to beat Missiles Armed (Leandro Ribeiro, $2.60) and the leader Love Rat (Zara Lewis, $6).
A much-travelled galloper, Gunnerside was part of a small team taken to the Northern Territory during a holiday in 2021 by Karen and Stephen McCarroll; from two starts, was placed at Adelaide River and Darwin but was injured in the Darwin race and took six months to recover.
The previous win for Gunnerside was in 2022 at Lightning Ridge when the races became flag starts due to problems with the barriers.
Following his second to rookie rider Grady Spokes, Leandro Ribeiro kicked home a winning double, Pahang and Blackhill Kitty, trained at Dubbo by Connie Greig.
Pahang ($2.80 fav.) finished fast from well back to win by over three lengths from The Cave (Ricky Blewitt, $4) and Borlotti (Grady Spokes, $21) in the 1600 metres Coonamble Cancer Survival Fund Class 2 Trophy Handicap.
Blackhill Kitty ($3 equal favourite) also came from behind the leaders to win the 1200 metres Quota Club Class 2 Trophy Handicap from Geesheehan (Tamsin Gough, $4) and The Defiant One (Ricky Blewitt, $3 eq.fav.).
Richard Jackson, the only trainer at Walgett, won the 1200 metres Rotary Maiden Plate with The Drafter, ridden by Narromine-based Ricky Blewitt.
In a handy position from the outset, The Drafter ($2 fav.) won by a short head from Johnny Ravioli (Ashley Boyd, $4.20), with Opal Glory (Nicholas Perrett, $5) in third place.
Although a $10 chance, the grey mare Miss Ash Star was well supported, proved very costly to bookmakers, and was popular with the locals when winning the 1400 metres Lions Club Open Trophy Handicap.
Trained at Coonamble by Colin Edgar and ridden by Zara Lewis from Gilgandra, Miss Ash Star led all the way against a good quality field to beat Gossip (Sally Faulks, $4) and The Enzo (Tamsin Gough, $4) in a close finish.
Jarmanagic and In The Road led in the 1100 metres Country Women’s Association Open Trophy Handicap before the Kieren Hazelton, Gilgandra trained Zamali (Sebastian Galea, $10) from well back swept down the outside to overwhelm In The Road (Zara Lewis, $4.20) and Billy Bent Ear (Leandro Ribeiro, $5).
Sebastian Galea doubled his career tally, having recently ridden his first winner, Pridepluck, at Moree.
This week, Dubbo host a Showcase meeting on Friday, which features the Kings Hall Jewellers Silver Goblet for two-year-olds and two qualifying Heats of the Dubbo RSL Club Winter Country Classic.
Big crowds are expected at Parkes on Saturday and Gulgong on Sunday for non-TAB meetings, along with Mallawa on Saturday for their picnic meeting.
