TURF
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LEON Davies started the weekend with a win at Walcha, continued with placings in Coonabarabran and Brisbane that indicated good things at Quirindi and Grafton Cup carnivals and finished off with victory at Coonabarabran with a talented filly at the Coonabarabran Jockey Club’s big bush fire appeal day.
The Tamworth trainer had won the first race at Walcha on Friday with Dimensional but was in Brisbane at the time with Clever Hans and Kurtley.
They raced Saturday, Clever Hans beating all bar Rock Home Late in his race while Kurtley was unlucky when second to Whitesails in the Bentley Chartered Accountants Handicap (1600m).
“He was a three-year-old up against older horses and was a little bit unlucky at the top of the straight,” Davies said.
“He hit the line strongly but will go to the paddock now and come back for the Grafton Guineas.
“Clever Hans also raced well and will come back for the Quirindi Cup. He pulled up well – nothing phases him.
“And Up And Over was a very good win at Coona. She’s a class filly,” he said of the three-year-old daughter of Oratorio.
We only went out there to help the club with its big bushfire appeal.”
She didn’t let anyone down winning as she liked by six and three quarter lengths.
“She’s pretty good,” he said.
“So it’s been a good weekend, five runners, two wins, two Brisbane placings and a third (Film Star at Coonabarabran).”
Davies also gave the Coonabarabran Jockey Club a 10 per cent share in a Magic Albert colt he had bought at the Sydney Sales to auction off Saturday as well.
“I don’t what they sold it for but I hope they made a bit out of it,” he said.
The CJC staged six races Saturday with Dubbo-based Kody Nestor claiming a double. Nestor partnered Up and Over in her win and then piloted Flash Academy to victory for Coonamble trainer Clint Lundholm in the last.
At Walcha the second day of the Cup Carnival was another success, said club secretary Kevin Ferrier.
Friday’s Cup Carnival had drawn a big crowd of around 1500 and betting turnover of about $1.4million, Ferrier confirmed.
“The bookies turnover on course was also well up,” Ferrier said.
“We had good fields again, good finishes and good racing.
“I think the last race’s trifecta paid something like $10,259. The turnover today was again pretty good after Saturday. And the track played really well again. Both days had race records. One track record on Friday and another couple of class records today.”
Ferrier said Walcha Jockey Club president Jim Nivison and his hard-working committee deserved plenty of credit for organising another brilliant weekend.
Saturday’s Walcha winners came from near and far.
Armidale trainer Frank Tanner won the first race Saturday with Hello Goodbye, stable apprentice Jemma Wilson notching her fourth win of the HNWRA season.
Scone trainer Luke Griffith won the second race with Point To Point, a win that enabled to join Sue Grills in second spot on the HNWRA trainer’s premiership ladder, four wins behind Kris Lees, who won Friday’s Cup with Pitt Street.
Tamworth farrier David Hatch won the third race with My Amalfi while the final two races were won by trainers from opposite ends of the HNWRA.
Muswellbrook’s Pat Farrell won with Darcy’s Delight while Moree trainer Peter Sinclair won the last with Joppick.
“It was a real good weekend,” said Kevin Ferrier.
“Both days. The first day crowd was on a par with normal and today we had about 500.”