With more than 5000 entry tickets sold, Nyngan racecourse was packed on Saturday when Blackhill Kitty won the 1250 metres Nyngan Toyota-Duck Creek Picnic Cup.
Owned and trained by the Dubbo-based Connie Greig, the six-year-old mare Blackhill Kitty had won at Cobar then finished runner-up in the picnic cups at Mallawa and Talmoi in the lead up to Duck Creek. Ridden by Todd Bailey, Blackhill Kitty ($2.60 equal favourite) from near last early, took control in the straight and won by more than lengths from stablemate I’m Scarlett (Grady Spokes, $2.60) and the 2023 cup winner All Words (Sebastian Galea, $6).
Accumulating 58 points so far during the season, Blackhill Kitty is on top of the qualifying ladder for the $50,000 Picnic Championship Final to be held at Dubbo in October.
Since the start of the current season, Cobar galloper Mr Pointer has won the feature picnic sprint races at Mungery, Tottenham, Bourke, and now Duck Creek.
In the 900 metres Duck Creek Open Trophy Handicap, the Wayne Prisk-trained Mr Pointer (Ricky Blewitt, $3.20 equal favourite) took the early lead but had to fight hard for a long head win over Billy Bent Ear (Todd Bailey, $5) with Super Hot ($4.40) in third place. Close to compulsory retirement at the end of July, the 12-year-old marvel Billy Bent Ear has now recorded 19 wins and 51 placings from 169 starts.
Owned by Gilgandra Jockey Club president Jason Tate and trained by Kieren Hazelton, Mean Girls has hit top form and after winning at Bligh picnics was second in a big field at Dubbo TAB meeting before taking out the 1250 metres Aspect Property Class B Handicap at Duck Creek.
Giving Narromine jockey Ricky Blewitt a winning double, Mean Girls ($1.80 favourite) led throughout to beat Cooma Hut (Todd Bailey, $6) and One Command (Arthur Pollock, $4.40).
There was a very popular result in the opening event, the 900 metres Bogan Farms Maiden Plate, when the Rodney Robb, Nyngan-trained Ben My Friend was first home.
Owned by Greg O’Mally and his mother Maeve O’Mally and ridden by Todd Bailey, Ben My Friend backed from $2.30 to $1.90 favourite, joined the lead turning for home and then broke clear for a good win over No Pockets (Zara Lewis, $8) and Sharkhop (Emily Waters, $6).
