GREG Bennett and his stable foreman, Tina Eveleigh, celebrated “old home-town” Cup wins yesterday when jockey Sam Clenton and Pro Consul were brilliant winners of the $30,000 Elders Walcha Cup.
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Both Bennett and Eveleigh spent time in Walcha in their younger years but are now based at Scone where Bennett is one of the leading trainers in country NSW and Eveleigh one of his committed and hard-working employees.
Today they will be savouring a delicious victory after Clenton swooped on Pippi’s Pride in the final 100m to win the Cup by half a length.
$9 chance Pippi’s Pride looked like he might win the Cup for last year’s winning Cup rider Leanne Henry and Muswellbrook trainer Stephen Gleeson when they surged to a lead after straightening for home on the short run in.
“I thought he had it won when he hit the front,” Gleeson said.
“But we had no excuses.
“We were beaten by a better horse.”
Pro Consul, a six-year-old bay gelding who has won nine of his 35 starts and four of his last five, came quickly after Clenton had given him the perfect run.
She and Bennett had talked about whether to lead or not on a front-running horse who had won the 1300m Walcha Cup Prelude with a bold performance up front.
“We decided if they wanted to lead we’d take a sit in behind,” Clenton said.
It was the perfect decision as she was able to pop out at the right time and finish powerfully for what was 23-year-old Clenton’s 57th winner this season.
“Sam rode him 10 out of 10,” Bennett said.
“He was a very hard, fit horse.
“We knew a couple would go quick so if we could get a sit it would be great.
“I’m really happy with that.
“It’s a great result for Tina as well, also being from here.
“But this horse has just run into a purple patch.
“We’ll take him home now and give him a little rest and maybe go back to Armidale with him for the Guyra Cup.
“He’ll be handicapped for that of course but that (weight handicap) is something we’ll deal with then.
“ Whether we leave one of the girls on him or use a claiming apprentice we’ll see.”
Rachael Murray rode Pro Consul when he won the Walcha Cup Prelude without a claim where he carried 60.5kg and yesterday he dropped to 60kg with Sam Clenton unable to claim as well.
The 2016 Walcha Cup day produced some stunning winners, an hour-long delay after one of the Maiden horses got loose and galloped into the nearby forest and “drainage issues” which forced the Walcha club to rebuild part of its running rail around the affected area.
