Photo: Racing Photography.
Ridden a great race by apprentice Kelsey Lenton, the Jane Clement, Armidale-trained Red Beryl won the 1200 metres Robert Oatley Wines Gulgong Gold Cup on Sunday in a thrilling finish.
An arguably record-breaking crowd at Gulgong saw Hampton Cove, Rylan’s Pick, and Patrick May lead the nine-horse field, with Red Beryl settling in last position.
Patrick May (Will Stanley,$5.50) hit the front over the closing stages before Kelsey Lenton drove Red Beryl ($6) through a narrow gap on the rails to win the Cup by a short half-head with a half-length to the third-placed Tandem (Madeline Owen, $13).
Ronald Simpson followed a treble at Bathurst and a double at Dubbo with a treble at Gulgong to complete a big week for the talented apprentice.
12 bookmakers were operating at the non-TAB Gulgong meeting, and some offered $101 for Simpson’s mount Shadow Shot in the opening event, the 1400 metres Michael Gilham Memorial Maiden Handicap
Several bets of $2,000 to $20 were recorded, and the Brett Thompson, Gulgong trained Shadow Shot eventually started at $18.
Lumin (Jake Barrett,$2 favourite) held a good lead in the straight but was overhauled and beaten almost a length by Shadow Shot which came from last early, while Jaxon’s Day (Andrew Banks, $5) finished fast from the tail of the field for third.
The second leg of the Ronald Simpson treble was Dawn County in the 1200 metres Craigmoor Wines Cup Class 2 Handicap.
First up since coming from Victoria to the Kieren Hazelton stable at Gilgandra, Dawn County ($3.40) was given a charmed run behind the leaders before taking a rails-run to win by two lengths from Searchlight (Shayleigh Ingelse, $2.80 fav.) and Miss Adrenalin (Jayden Barrie, $7).
Completing another big day for Ronald Simpson, the Garry Lunn, Dubbo-trained Weave That Web ($5.50) tracked the leaders Beg Me and Dream Lad, then took control in the straight for a one and threequarters length win over Prince Of Tokyo (Daniel Northey, $12) and Fiveash (Ashleigh Stanley, $8) in the 1800 metres Benchmark 58 Handicap.
Local trainer Brett Thompson, after his win with Shadow Shot, brought up a double when Dysnomia (Chelsea Ings, $21) led throughout to beat Ice On Fire (Will Stanley, $5) and Sniper Excels (Shayleigh Ingelse, $5) in the 1000 metres Benchmark 50 Handicap.
Transferred to Bathurst trainer Roy McCabe after two unplaced runs, Savvy Statement (Ashleigh Stanley, $7) travelled fourth and then finished best to win the 1000 metres George Ford Memorial Maiden Plate by nearly two lengths from London Tycoon, $2.50 fav.) and Cheerful Union (Chelsea Ings, $8).
Central and Western Districts racing heads to Walgett and Bligh Picnics at Mudgee on Saturday before the Coonamble Cannonball on Sunday.
For Gulgong’s results, click here.
