Endorsement as a favoured candidate for the upcoming Country Championship came when Syrian Star won a Preview in good style on Sunday at Dubbo.
Owned by Paul and Belinda Frampton from Merriwa and trained at Scone by Rod Northam, Syrian Star had Grant Buckley in the saddle for the 1300m Inland Petroleum Class 4 Handicap-Championship Preview.
Allowed plenty of time to settle, Syrian Star drifted back from the inside gate to race near the tail of the field.
Grant Buckley found gaps in the straight, and the well-supported Syrian Star ($2.40 to $2 favourite) powered home to win by over a length from Brogans Creek (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $8.50) and Dawn County (James Rogers, $21).
Syrian Star is now likely to contest the $150,000 Hunter & North West Championship Qualifier at Tamworth on Sunday, March 10, while Gilgandra trainer Kieren Hazelton will aim for the $150,000 Western Districts Championship Qualifier at Coonamble on Sunday, March 17, with Dawn County.
Second-placed Brogans Creek, trained at Mudgee by Toby Pracey, is ineligible for the $150,000 Central Districts Championships Qualifier at Mudgee on Sunday, having exceeded the maximum 20 lifetime starts.
The $1 million Newhaven Park Country Championship Final is scheduled for April 6 at Royal Randwick.
The third and final Heat of the Barastoc Summer Sprint Series was run on Sunday, and as another innovative event from Dubbo Turf Club and the sponsor partner Barastoc, it received excellent support from owners and trainers.
Kora Magic, Sisters Pick and Obsessive Nature led for home, with the eventual winner, Canny Prospect, near the tail of the field.
Finishing fast, the Todd Howlett, Muswellbrook-trained Canny Prospect (Aaron Bullock, $3.10 to $2.25 favourite) arrived in time to win by almost a length from the very consistent That’s Better (Will Stanley, $10) and Choice Witness, Cobi Vitler, $3.90).
Now residing in Newcastle, former Trangie Jockey Club president Ken Dennis was at Dubbo as part owner of Blue Guitar, winner of the 1600m Barastoc Race N Win Benchmark 58 Handicap.
Coming from a long way back, the Peter Nestor, Dubbo-trained Blue Guitar (Georgina McDonnell, $7) swooped on the leaders over the closing stages to score by a length from Subscribe Me (Cobi Vitler, $26) and Rubiland (Ronald Simpson, $7).
Formerly trained in Victoria, the Brett Robb, Dubbo-trained Rouge Moulin was well ridden by Tony Cavallo to win the 1200m Marty Nelson Air Conditioning And Refrigeration $50,000 Super Maiden Handicap.
Rouge Moulin ($2.70 fav.) wore down Wandering Jack (Aaron Bullock, $5.50) to win by a neck, with Thirteen Under (Darryl McClellan, $41) running on well for third.
Giving Brett Robb a double, Deion (Aaron Bullock, $3.60), after a good battle, won the 1000m Barastoc Stablemate Class 1 Handicap from Gorgias (Sarah McDonough, $16) and the fast finishing Antisocial (Braith Nock, $2.90).
On Saturday, Orange will host their Epiroc Ladies Day, while on Sunday, attention will turn to the Central Districts Country Championship Qualifier at Mudgee.
