A winning treble, including the Cup for Dubbo trainer Connie Greig and a double for local trainer Wayne Prisk, highlighted Saturday’s picnic meeting at Cobar Miners Race Club.
Connie Greig has the bulk of qualifiers for the $50,000 Picnic Final at Coonamble in October, and Gossip emerged as a leading contender with a dominant win in the 1700 metres DJW And Wells Ventilation Cobar Picnic Cup.
During the current Picnic season, Gossip had won the Cups at Tomingley and Wean and the Cobar Copper Cup at the professional meeting and topped off the preparation with a third at last week’s Dubbo TAB meeting.
Ridden by leading Picnic jockey Leandro Ribeiro, Gossip ($2.30 favourite) travelled third to the home turn then took control for a 2 1/2 lengths win over Broo Boss (Ricky Blewitt, $10) and Merdeka (Grady Spokes, $2.80).
Leandro Ribeiro was also aboard the Connie Greig-trained Belle ‘O Ballee ($3.60), which collared the leader Big Arjay turning for home before racing to a convincing win from Sons Of Bourke (John Wilson, $2.50 fav.) and Jawsome (Zara Lewis, $17) in the 1200 metres Copper Sprint Trophy Handicap.
Over June and July, Belle ‘O Ballee had won successive Picnic races at Bligh, Duck Creek and Wean.
First-season rider Grady Spokes is a very promising young jockey, and he travelled from Coffs Harbour to take the mount on Cranky Creed for Connie Greig in the opening event, the 1000 metres Nutrien Russell Class B Handicap.
Placed in TAB races earlier this year at Dubbo, Parkes, Mudgee, Orange and Coonamble, Cranky Creed was at a generous $4 quote, with stablemate Twin Seas starting the $1.70 favourite.
From third position, Cranky Creed accelerated to an over-five lengths win from Twin Seas (Leandro Ribeiro) and the leader, Jackal (Zara Lewis, $4).
Wayne Prisk contributes a lot to racing at Cobar and other western area tracks, and they were popular results when he won with Banjo Shark and Sun Master.
Formerly from Victoria, Banjo Shark, soon after joining the Prisk stable, won a barrier trial at Narromine however ran off the track after the finish and needed some remedial work from the Cobar trainer.
Straight to the lead in the 1000 metres Tyre Doctor Maiden Plate, Banjo Shark completed a double for Grady Spokes when holding on to beat Flying Dubawi (Zara Lewis, $7) and Galleries Supreme (John Wilson, $15).
Sending the locals home happy, the Wayne Prisk-trained Sun Master ($4.60) with John Wilson in the saddle, led throughout when a runaway 4 1/2 lengths winner over Queensland visitor The Sabbath (Grady Spokes, $4.40) and Sausage Sizzle (Zara Lewis, $3.80) in the 1400 metres Sullivans Mining And Hardware Class B Handicap.
With Narromine racing today (Sunday), Western Racing Association action heads to Gulargambone on Saturday, while in Central Districts action, Bathurst race on Monday, August 28.
