presentation of the WesTrac Cobar Cup on Saturday afternoon.
Queensland raider Al Ash Lad, ridden by Dubbo jockey Georgina McDonnell in a daring race, won the WesTrac Cobar Cup before a very big crowd on Saturday at Cobar.
Trained at Cunnamulla by Monique Gavin, Al Ash Lad was taken straight to the lead in the 1,700 metres Cup by McDonnell and had established a five lengths break well before the home turn.
Appearing vulnerable in the straight, Al Ash Lad ($6) was kept balanced by McDonnell and fought on grimly to win by over two lengths from Il Tevere (Billy Cray, $5) and Pahang (Wendy Peel, $2.60 favourite).
Scone trainer Nikki Pollock has been bringing strong teams to western area meetings this season and she landed a winning treble at Cobar with Cooma Hut, Joanesski and Hit Song.
Cooma Hut (Billy Cray, $1.80 favourite) had good TAB form and, after tracking the leaders, was a five lengths winner of the 1,000 metres Broughton Field Services & Cynend Building Maiden Plate from the Wayne Prisk, Cobar trained Uncle Alf (Nyssa Burrells, $12) and Tiny Missile (Zoe Hunt, $7).
The in-form Dubbo apprentice Hunt followed up a double at Brewarrina and another winner at Bathurst with two more winners at Cobar, Joanesski and Hit Song for Pollock.
Leading all the way Joanesski ($2.30 favourite) lasted to beat Mihrimah (Andrew Banks, $10) by a short half head with Lost Media (Ken Dunbar, $17) third in the DJW Contracting & Sullivans Mining & Industrial Benchmark 58 Handicap.
In the 1,200 metres Cobar Cranes & Nutrien Russell Ag Solutions Benchmark 50 Handicap, Hunt and Pollock completed a good day when Hit Song ($3.20 favourite) finished best to beat the leader Loud (Dunbar, $4.40) and Rylstone Rocket (Burrells, $15).
Another Dubbo jockey riding with plenty of recent success is Wendy Peel who brought home the Connie Greig trained Blackhill Kitty ($4.40) with a well timed run from midfield to account for Maralago (Hunt, $6) and Benyatta (Burrells, $4.60) in the 1,370 metres BK Civil Group & Pryce Mining Services Benchmark 45 Handicap.
Gypsy King, the winner of three races when taken to King Island over summer by Forbes trainer Bill Hayes, won the 1,200 metres Tyre Doctor and Civil Industries Class 1 Handicap at Cobar. Promising apprentice Caine Stuart, who has transferred to the Brett Robb stable at Dubbo, was in the saddle on Gypsy King ($10) on Saturday which burst through the pack from last to score by over a length from One Command (Billy Cray, $4.40) and Party Prophet (Dunbar, $4 favourite).
The nine bookmakers operating at Cobar reported well above average turnover figures which is now highly rated amongst country clubs with outstanding facilities and meticulous racecourse presentation.—Colin Hodges
