Jarrod Marsden with Rusty Motorbike’s handlers Snow Robb and Katie Atherton and cup sponsor Darran Wells from Wells Ventilation.
Rusty Motorbike, winner of the recent Louth Cup (2,000 metres), backed up to win the 1,700 metres Cobar Picnic Cup on Saturday.
Given a good run in third spot by Maddison Wright, the Rodney Robb, Nyngan trained Rusty Motorbike ($2.60 favourite) finished a length and a quarter in advance of the Mark Ward, Condobolin trained Zartini (Michael Gray, $3) which had been the runner-up by a short half head in the Louth Cup.
The strongly supported local horse, Jawsome (Wesley Boyd, $4.60), set the pace in the Cup at Cobar and battled on well for third.
Jawsome was a last start winner at Louth and another Louth winner, the Garry Bignell, Nyngan trained Little Leena with Ricky Blewitt in the saddle at Cobar, led all the way as the $2.70 favourite to beat Archway Express (Maddison Wright, $5) and Senoritaville (Michael Gray, $26) in the 1,400 metres Class B Handicap.
Raine Joy, a winner at the Cobar Miners Club meeting earlier this year for Menindee trainer Wayne Marsden, was back in town to win the Class B Handicap (1,000 metres) at the Cobar Picnics.
Leading throughout, Raine Joy (Paula Heath, $8) won by over three lengths from Festival Of Light (Maddison Wright, $3 equal fav.) and Dublin Dan (Alan Barton, $17).
Parkes galloper Rehanaat, owned by Phil Easman and trained by Sharon Jeffries, has qualified for the $50,000 Picnic Championship Final at Dubbo on next month with a fast finishing win in the 1,200 metres Open Handicap at Cobar Picnics on Saturday.
From the back of the field Rehanaat (Ashley Boyd, $4.40) steamed down the outside to defeat Maximoo (Maddison Wright, $12) and Mr Swift (Paula Heath, $6).
A seven year old chestnut mare, Rehanaat has an overall record of nine wins and eight placings from 44 starts and interestingly is unbeaten at five starts in Picnic races, winning at Duck Creek (twice), Grenfell, Marthaguy and Cobar.
Another winner at Cobar on Saturday for the Parkes stables was the George Wright trained Yankee Roller in the 1,000 metres Maiden Plate.
In front from the outset, Yankee Roller (Ricky Blewitt, $6) won by nearly five lengths from Sutton (Alan Barton, $4.60) and Bendie Boy (Michael Gray, $31).—Colin Hodges
