Kody Nestor added the $75,000 Qube Agri-Coonamble Gold Cup on Sunday to his hometown Dubbo Gold Cup he won last year on Sneak Preview.
Due to the cup at Coonamble being a Big Dance eligibility race, several high-profile trainers targeted the event including the Ben, Will and JD Hayes partners from Euroa, Victoria who chose Kody Nestor for the ride on Justadeel.
Mawjood (Winona Costin) the heavily backed $1.85 favourite from the Bjorn Baker stable at Warwick Farm set the pace in the 1600 metres cup, with Justadeel which had been placed at recent starts at Sandown being given a great behind the leader by Kody Nestor.
The David Smith, Mudgee-trained Lockdown Gamble made a sharp move to tackle the leader at the top of the straight and in a thrilling finish Justadeel ($5.50) edged out Lockdown Gamble (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $31) by a short head with Tavros (Ben Looker, $6.50) from the Craig Martin stable at Tamworth, a long neck back in third after coming from near last.
Atoning for losing a race on protest at debut at Dubbo, Race To Arms was backed from $1.95 to $1.70 favourite for the 1100 metres Nutrien-Maiden Showcase Plate and ridden by Kody Nestor for his uncle, Dubbo trainer Peter Nestor, led throughout to win by over two lengths from Bullant (Reece Jones, $3.60) and Fratianno (Nick Palmer, $7.50). Owned by Craig Buckley, the president of the Racing Orange Club, How’s It Kev won the feature supporting race to the cup, the 1200 metres Keady Family Crystal Sprint.
Trained at Orange by Alison Smith and ridden by her apprentice, the very much in form Jordan Quince, How’s It Kev ($21) hit the lead in the straight, was headed by Rouge Moulin (Clayton Gallagher, $9), then fought back to win by a nose while Driving Force (Kody Nestor, $26) ran on well for third.
Wellington Boot winner at debut, the Brett Robb trained Comongin, at the second run back from a spell won the 1100 metres Swanny’s Foods Class Two Showcase Handicap.
Apprenticed to Brett Robb, Izzy Neale rode Comongin ($3.50) which shared the lead and held off a tenacious Sorrento Palace (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $10) and Keadool (Zoe Hunter, $13) in a three way photo finish).
Reared at Coonamble, Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm was a popular winner of the 1400 metres Woodhams Petroleum - Paragon Benchmark 66 Handicap with Slush Fund, well-ridden by stable apprentice Zoe Hunt.
Owned by Kathryn Smith and Clint Lundholm, the consistent Slush Fund ($8.50) travelled third to the turn, took the lead, then held on to win by a long neck from Mrs Bull (Mikayla Weir, $9.50) and Release Point (Reece Jones, $3.70).
The other winners at the very successful cup meeting were Hammoon Sensation (Reece Jones, $2.50 to $4), Chamber Of Secrets (Reece Jones, $2.10 favourite) and Taipan Legend (Braith Nock, $2.30 to $2.80 favourite).
Those races being sponsored respectively by Dubbo City and Gilgandra Toyota, Dad N Dave Turf/Evergreen Turf/Elite Sand and Soil/Southern Cross Turf and The Nalder Family.
