Image – Racing Photography.
A good quality field contested the feature event, the 1280 metres Collie Hotel-Collie Cup before a good crowd at Gilgandra on Saturday, with victory going to the Jane Clement, Bendemeer-trained Sparks.
Ridden by Jake Pracey-Holmes, Sparks ($4.40) ran down the leader Daredevil (Jake Barrett, $7) to score by 3/4 length, with Turgenev (Andrew Banks, $5.50 to $4.60) coming from near last for third.
First leg of a treble for Jake Pracey-Holmes was the Brett Thompson, Gulgong trained Hampton Cove ($4.40), which led all the way to beat Tiger King (Jake Barrett, $21) and Bemote (Clayton Gallagher, $1.90 to $1.50 fav.) in the 1100 metres Gilgandra Toyota and Gilmour Engineering BM 50 Handicap.
First up since joining the Cec Hodgson stable at Coonamble, The Big Seal (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.30 to $2.80 fav.) led throughout to win the 800 metres Keith Kilby Memorial and Cooee Tyres BN 50 Handicap from Casan Geal (Will Stanley, $4.80) and the winner’s stablemate Twyborn Affair (Wendy Peel, $5.50).
Well-known for their starring roles on the rugby league field, Kieren Hazelton and Terry Fahey, as racehorse trainers, each had a winner on Saturday.
Local trainer Kieren Hazelton, a multiple award winner with the Gilgandra Panthers team, won with Mamelon while the winner for the former NRL and International star and now Dubbo-based Terry Fahey was Costas.
Settling well back in the 1100 metres Western Farm Machinery/Happy 50th Birthday John Alchin Benchmark 50 Handicap, Mamelon (Andrew Banks, $6.50) rushed down the outside win by a short head from Nicator (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.30 favourite) with Rupicasso (James Rogers, $20) also trained by Kieren Hazelton, a handy third.
Representing Terry Fahey in the 1600 metres Brophy Memorial and Inland Petroleum BM 50 Handicap, Costas ($14) came from off the pace to beat Pop Power (Will Stanley, $9.50) and All Business (Billy Cray, $7) in a close finish.
According to experienced jockey Michael Heagney, the Greg O’Neill, Nyngan-trained Outback Cod was always travelling well in the 1600 metres Johnson’s Family Store and Jason Tate Electrical BM 50 Handicap.
After racing outside the leader Enthralled, Outback Cod ($17) took control to win by a length from Bobby’s Secret (Will Stanley, $6) and Enthralled (Camille Houlgatte, $8.50).
Other winners were the Cody Morgan, Tamworth-trained Cool Ruler (Anna Roper, $1.70 fav.) in the 1000 metres Aqua West Maiden Plate and the Roy McCabe, Bathurst-trained Overclassy (Ashleigh Stanley, $6 to $9) in the 1200 metres B & C Coxsedge Memorial and Chandlers Gilgandra Maiden Handicap.
For results, click here.
