Michael Heagney, a long-time successful jockey, marked his recent return to race riding after a serious injury, with a winning double, Aphrodotti and Boongarra Girl, on Saturday at Wellington.
Cowra-based Heagney suffered a broken shoulder earlier this year when his mount, after winning a barrier trial at Narromine, veered to the outside fence.
The 56-year-old, who’s been a jockey for nearly 40 years and winner of over 1000 races, Heagney surprisingly revealed his injury was the first serious one in his long career.
The comeback winning ride was aboard the Maree Hopkins, Cowra-trained Aphrodotti in the 1400 metres Class 2 Handicap.
Starting a $31 outsider, Aphrodotti settled midfield before sprinting to the front in the straight and racing to a two lengths win over Wasserman (Nick Heywood, $3.90 equal favourite) and Neidr Dawn (Will Stanley, $5.50).
Handy to the lead turning for home, the Gayna Williams, Bathurst-trained Boongarra Girl ($5.50) brought up the Michael Heagney double when beating Luckyimwithaimee (Dylan Stanley, $6) and Dysnomia (Chelsea Ings, $10) in the 1000 metres Benchmark 50 Handicap.
Will Stanley, who is apprenticed to Alison Smith at Orange, also rode a winning double, the first leg being on the Smith-trained Almanac in the 1400 metres Maiden Plate.
Given a charmed run behind the leader Wandering Cloud, Almanac ($6) eventually won by a short head from Good Kitty (Nick Heywood, $3.60), with Outback Pat (Wendy Peel, $15) in third place.
Relishing the heavy track, the Garry Lunn, Dubbo-trained Jarmanagic (Will Stanley, $10) swooped on the leaders halfway down the straight and won the 1000 metres Benchmark 50 Handicap by over a length from Scoffa (Beany Panya, $7) and Hampton Cove (Nick Heywood, $2.50 to $1.90 favourite).
Mathew Cahill, who was booked to ride Jarmanagic, stood down for the race after being involved in an incident when his mount, the Garry Lunn-trained Freycinet, faltered and fell approaching the home turn in the 1000 metres Class 1 Handicap.
Badly injured in a race fall in April 2022, the highly successful Mathew Cahill only recently returned to race riding, and although he walked away unaided from the Wellington fall, he took the rest of the day off.
Apprentice Jayden Barrie on More Than Luck was unable to avoid the fallen horse and, after his fall, was taken to Dubbo hospital for assessment.
The race was won by the Bryan Dixon Jnr, Gilgandra-trained Love Rat ($7.50) which led most of the way to account for Gunner Bill (Richard Bensley, $41) and Savvy Statement (Ashleigh Stanley, $18).
Without a win after 16 starts, Sauce Dragon, since recently joining the Sharon Jeffries stable at Parkes, has finished second at Dubbo, followed by a win at Wellington in the 1000 metres Maiden Handicap.
Holding a slender lead turning for home, Sauce Dragon ($3.90 fav.) held on under strong riding from Andrew Banks to score by a length from Our Little Zoe (Clayton Gallagher, $4.20) and Legris (Will Stanley, $31).
Western Racing Association action heads to Carinda on Saturday, followed by Warren (Tuesday, July 18) and Coonabarabran (Saturday, July 22).
