Sport
19 April, 2025
Racing reports - Dubbo and Tomingley
Raced at Dubbo on Saturday, April 12 and Tomingley on Saturday, April 5
Raced at Dubbo on Saturday, April 12
By Colin Hodges
Renowned for a powerful finishing run, Melody Again stormed to victory in the $50,000 Arrowfield Queen Of The West-BM 82 Handicap, before a big crowd on Saturday at Dubbo.
Patiently ridden by apprentice Leeshelle Small, Melody Again ($7.50) swept down the outside from near the tail of the field to win the 1200 metres feature race for fillies and mares, by a half-length from Master Of Disguise (Pierre Boudvillain, $2.50 favourite) and the third place dead heaters Laurel Hill (Kody Nestor, $6 to $3.90) and Invasive Dreams (Siena Grima, $7).
Scone based trainer Scott Singleton also won the inaugural Arrowfield Queen Of The West in 2023 with Dollar Magic.
Not unusual to see local trainer Brett Robb to the fore at a feature meeting and it was a winning treble on Saturday with Curly Bend (Clayton Gallagher, $2.30 to $1.80 favourite) Press Forward (Tilly McCarroll, $3.10 to $2.70) and Star Intrigue (Tilly McCarroll, $2.60 to $2.20 fav.).
Tilly McCarroll recently moved from Sydney to continue her apprenticeship with Brett Robb and the double took her career tally to six wins, all achieved since coming to Dubbo from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable at Randwick.
Very happy to see her win on Press Forward were the group of owners, mainly from Lake Cargelligo and Tullibigeal, who had endured a long sequence of minor places with the six-year-old gelding.
Now the winner of three races from 40 starts, Press Forward had also been placed 15 times when usually well supported in the betting ring.
In the 1000 metres Commercial Hotel Benchmark 50 Handicap, Press Forward was fifth turning for home and finished best to beat stablemate D’Arpano (Clayton Gallagher, $7) by over a length with Fantasy Crowned (Jessica Brookes, $11) a short neck away third.
During a good day for Dubbo based trainers, Garry Lunn landed the quinella with Let Rip and Sweet As A Kiss in the 1400 metres Hitotsu At Arrowfield Stud Maiden Plate.
Owned by David Baxter and Carol Burns, Let Rip (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $4.80) led throughout to beat the strong finishing Sweet As A Kiss (Leeshelle Small, $3.80) by a length with Flameon (Pierre Boudvillain, $11) in third place.
Raced at Tomingley on Saturday, April 5
By Colin Hodges
As an experienced jockey, Julia Presits came to Australia from Sweden and rode successfully at tracks in New South Wales including Tomingley in the central west.
She returned to Tomingley recently, but this times as a trainer, and won the 1500 metres Alkane Resources Tomingley Picnic Cup with Avoid Me.
Based at Muswellbrook, Julia Presits is the long-time partner of Leandro Ribeiro formerly from Brazil and now the champion jockey on the picnic circuit.
Sent to the early lead by Ribeiro, Avoid Me ($4.60) was a convincing winner of the Cup by nearly three lengths from Boys Cry (Tamsin Gough, $13) and Blackhill Kitty (Anaelle Gangotena, $4.60).
The late George Wright was not only a very popular personality but also well known in the Peak Hill, Tomingley and Parkes area as a successful racehorse trainer and harness racing trainer-driver and it was an emotional occasion when his colours were carried to victory by Ilikesooboogie in the opening event.
Owned by the family of George Wright and trained at Coonamble by Joe Hodgson, Ilikesooboogie (Ashley Boyd, $1.80 favourite) was in a line of three turning for home and finished best to win the 800 metres Peak Hill Post Office Maiden Plate by almost two lengths from Stromness (Leandro Ribeiro, $2) and Completely Package (Arthur Pollock, $5).
Without a win after more than 30 starts, Zillions has won four races in succession since coming to the Sharon Jeffries stable at Parkes.
Following wins at Gilgandra, Bedgerabong and Tottenham, Zillions (Ashley Boyd, $3.20) led throughout when beating Rebel Love (Leandro Ribeiro, $3 favourite) and Real Salty (Anaelle Gangotena, $7) in the 800 metres JDP Heavy Diesel Class 2 Trophy Handicap.
Owned and bred by Sue McMaster from Bathurst and trained at Forbes by Peter Kirby, Orcym Busby (Leandro Ribeiro, $4.40) tracked the leaders in the 1500 metres Dubbo City Toyota Class B Handicap then finished well to account for Vita Amorosa (Arthur Pollock, $3 equal favourite) and Yet Tobe A Cod.
The other winners were the Connie Greig trained Chookster (Paul Zerafa, $8) and Quiet Approach (Arthur Pollock, $2 favourite) trained by Nikki Pollock. Tomingley is a progressive club with very good facilities and a big crowd attended the 2025 meeting.
