Sport
15 May, 2026
Collins’ six-wins-to-seven; a career highlight
Jockey Amber Collins achieved a so-far career highlight when winning the Marthaguy Picnic Cup.
Raced at Quambone, Saturday, May 9
Making her race riding debut at Bedgerabong in February, Amber Collins achieved a so-far career highlight when winning the 1400 metres O’Brien Winter Partners - Marthaguy Picnic Cup aboard I’m Scarlett.
Now the overall winner of seven races, Amber Collins (24) rode a cool race on the Connie Greig-trained I’M Scarlett which settled near the tail of the field.
The leader Hit Song (Zara Lewis, $4.60) looked the likely winner in the straight however was run down and beaten a short half-head by the heavily backed I’M Scarlett ($4.40 to $2.60 favourite) while the prolific cups winner Blackhill Kitty (Dylan Parrott, $8) was over three lengths away third.
Todd Smith, the well-liked and highly respected former chairman of stewards in the central west, was seen in a different role at Quambone.
Recently granted a racehorse trainers licence and operating from stables at Dubbo, Smith saddled up his first winner, Godwits in the 1400 metres Lunn Racing Class One Trophy Handicap.
Leigh Taylor, a leading rider on the picnic circuit in Victoria, had the mount on the well supported Godwits ($5 to $4.60) which led most of the way to beat Himeros (Eloise Drews, $3.20 equal favourite) and The Bentley (Leandro Ribeiro, $3.20).
Gilgandra trainer Kieren Hazelton supplied the first leg of a double for Leigh Taylor when Discreet Miss ($12) shared the lead with A Tender Lady before breaking clear and then holding on to win in a close finish from Our Celebrity (Tamsin Gough, $3.20 equal favourite) and Mad Harry (Ricky Blewitt, $3.20) in the 1200 metres Mallon Commodities Class Three Trophy Handicap.
Pleasingly, Marthaguy Picnics attracted a much bigger crowd than last year and favourite backers were off to a good start when the Nikki Pollock, Scone-trained Fuel The Jet ($2.60) won the 1100 metres Amarillo Dorper Maiden Plate.
A very good ride by the Narromine-based Ricky Blewitt enabled Fuel The Jet to sprint through an opening on the rails to beat Midnight Rabble (Leandro Ribeiro, $5.50) and the leader Silent Drama (Tamsin Gough, $2.80) in a close finish.
Eloise Drews and Narromine trainer Kylie Kennedy have combined for several wins this season and at Quambone in the 1100 metres GPS Rural Class B Handicap it was Calmundi ($3.80) leading the seven-horse field for a comfortable win over Stolen Show (Ricky Blewitt, $5) and Bold Bender (Amber Collins, $5).
Wrapping up a good day for Eloise Drews she led throughout on the Bill Hayes, Forbes-trained Rubicon River ($10) to win by over two lengths from Redline (Zara Lewis, $3 favourite) and Airfield (Paul Zerafa, $15) in the 800 metres Quambone Community and Elwyn Andrews Memorial Class Three Trophy Handicap.
