Dubbo trainer Connie Greig and Sydney-based jockey Leandro Ribeiro have now won eight of the last 12 races held at Condobolin following a treble on Saturday, which included wins in the feature events by Linden Tree and Billy Bent Ear.
Both those gallopers were beaten a nose at Bedgerabong the previous week in the Cup and Bracelet, respectively.
Blinking Nomore and Sin City Belle set the pace in the 1400m Inland Petroleum Condobolin Picnic Cup with Red Impulse and Linden Tree in handy spots.
Sent to the lead at the top of the straight by Leandro Ribeiro, Linden Tree ($3 favourite) raced to a one and a half lengths win over stablemate and 2022 Cup winner Valadyium (John Wilson, $6.50) and Red Impulse (Tony Williams, $3.60).
Billy Bent Ear, the grand warrior of central west racing, continues to amaze, and the 11-year-old gelding took the record to 17 wins and 40 placings and over $260,000 prize money from 144 starts when a brave winner of the 1000m KMWL & Co. & Ross Berry & Rob Staniforth Memorial Trophy Handicap.
Leading from the outset, Billy Bent Ear (Leandro Ribeiro, $2 favourite), humping 71.5kg, fought off every challenge in the straight to defeat Outback Cod (Zara Lewis, $4.20) and Equilibrium (Emily Harrison, $21).
The other winner for Connie Greig and Leandro Ribeiro was Kalpana ($4), which took the lead from Richter and Costas well before the home turn and won by four lengths from the heavily supported Irene Of Athens (Ricky Blewitt, $1.80 to $1.60 fav.) and Costas (Zara Lewis, $6.50) in the 1700 metres Condobolin Milling Class 3 Trophy Handicap.
Wellington trainer Daniel Stanley provided the opportunity for a grateful Izzy Neale, who travelled from Sydney to make her race-riding debut on Scruff’s Magic in the 1100m Forbes Livestock Class 1 Trophy Handicap.
Excelling at her only ride at the meeting, Izzy Neale gave the rank outsider Scruff’s Magic a nice run midfield before easing to the outside in the straight.
Owned by a group of friends from Tullibigeal, Scruff’s Magic ($21) won by over a length from Better Judgement (Grady Spokes, $4.20) and Camp Cove (Leandro Ribeiro, $2.20 fav.).
Emerging as a possible runner in the $50,000 Picnic Champion Series later this year at Coonamble, the Ashley Gibson, Gilgandra-trained Foxstorm was a runaway winner of the 1400m Chamens Super IGA Class 2 Trophy Handicap.
Ridden by Gilgandra-based Zara Lewis, Foxstorm ($9) from fifth position dashed to the front in the straight and won by over four lengths from the leader Sindagar (Breanna Bourke, $3.60) and Cheeky Nugget (Leandro Ribeiro, $3.40 fav.).
Condobolin attracted a big crowd; however, few backed the opening winner, the outsider Northern Excel, in the 1000m Vella Stockfeeds Maiden Plate.
Trained at Narromine by Michael Plummer, Northern Excel (Emily Harrison, $10) led throughout to win by a neck from Party Stop (Tony Williams, $2.50), with Great Flame (Zara Lewis, $6) six lengths away in third place.
This coming Saturday, Central Districts racing action heads to Orange for their Epiroc Ladies Day, while the feature at Mudgee on Sunday is the $150,000 Central Districts Qualifier for the Newhaven Park Country Championship at Royal Randwick.
For more on the 2024 Picnic Champion Series, click here.
For the 2024 Picnic Race Dates, click here.
