Within a week of his 11th birthday, Billy Bent Ear won his 16th race, taking out the feature Sprint on Saturday at the very successful Macquarie Picnics held at Trangie.
A veteran of 139 starts, Billy Bent Ear, has also recorded 37 placings and, in total, accumulated over $250,000 prize money.
The old warhorse with a devoted fan club is trained at Dubbo by Connie Greig, and for the Trangie meeting, promising young jockey Grady Spokes made the long trip from Coffs Harbour to take the mount.
Castlebar Road, a last-start second in strong TAB company at Dubbo, kicked clear at the top of the straight and punters who backed the $1.50 favourite were feeling reasonably confident.
Not to be denied, Billy Bent Ear (Grady Spokes, $6) gradually wore down the favourite and, in the final strides, edged to a long head win over Castlebar Road (Sally Faulks) with Bizarro (Michael Gray, $15) finishing third in the 800 metres Rebel Ag & Delta Open Trophy Handicap.
The day became even better for leading trainer Connie Greig when she won the 1400 metres Three Rivers Machinery Case IH Macquarie Picnic Cup with Black Hill Kitty.
Miss Ash Star and Sons Of Bourke vied for the lead from the outset, with Leeton-based Breanna Bourke giving Black Hill Kitty a nice run in fourth position alongside stablemate Individualist.
Producing a good finishing run, Black Hill Kitty ($7) won by nearly two lengths from Amazingly (Sebastian Galea, $6), which came from last, while Madison Point (Ricky Blewitt, $6) ran third after looking a threat in the straight.
Jane Clement from Bendemeer, who trains the Cup runner-up Amazingly, had earlier won the 1100 metres Elders & Aaron Pearce Transport $ Seed Cleaning Class B Handicap with Adviser.
Well-ridden by Sebastian Galea, Adviser ($4) gained a rails run to beat Geesheehan (Grady Spokes, $2.80 favourite) and Jackal (Zara Lewis, $7).
Sebastian Galea, a much improved young rider, made it a double when he won the 1400 metres Warrego Gypsum & Lewis Ag Logistics Maiden Plate on the Ian Holland, Coonamble-trained Castlehyde.
Nearly causing an upset was the Leo Harland, Gilgandra-trained $26 outsider Down The Back (Grady Spokes ), which established a big lead before being run down and beaten a long neck by Castlehyde ($2.70 fav.) with Take On Manhattan (Michael Gray, $3.40) a handy third.
Sarah McIlrick, who has stables at Alectown, between Parkes and Tomingley, is the trainer of Asteria Star, stylish winner of the 1100 metres Inland Petroleum Maiden Plate.
Sweeping to the front in the straight, Asteria Star (Michael Gray, $8) was a two lengths winner from Seminara (Ricky Blewitt, $3.50) and Red Card Rosie (Zara Lewis, $26).
Gilgandra-based Zara Lewis, who rode successfully at the professional races, has returned to the Picnic circuit, and she won the 1400 metres Andrew Peadon Agencies & Bell, Potter & Nutrien Class B Handicap on Gundawarra for Quirindi trainer Geoff O’Brien.
Overtaken in the straight, Gundawarra ($2.10 fav.) came again to beat Her Call (Ricky Blewitt, $8.50) and Nopain (Sebastian Galeaa, $4).
There was success also for a Gilgandra jockey and trainer the previous day at the Dubbo TAB meeting.
Well-ridden by James Rogers for trainer Ashley Gibson, Quick Floss ($18) raced handy to the lead and then fought on gamely to beat Vinlago (Dylan Stanley, $21) and Chookster (Julia Presits, $16) in a close finish to the 1000 metres Tooheys Old Country Boosted Maiden Plate.
The Western and Central West racing season concludes at Wellington on Monday before racing heads to Gilgandra on Saturday before the Forbes Cup on Sunday.
Louth follows these meetings on Saturday, August 12, and Dubbo on Sunday, August 13.
For all results from Trangie, click here.
