Western Racing Report - May 16, 2023

Winner of the recent Bathurst Soldiers Saddle and then an abject failure when near last in the Mudgee Gooree Cup, Osman was back in best form on Sunday to win the $36,000 Parkes Services Club Parkes Cup.

Taken to the early lead in the 1600 metres Cup by Kody Nestor, the Mack Griffith, Mudgee trained Osman ($2.50 favourite) was not ser iously threatened in an emphatic three lengths win over Kiptanui (Nick Heywood, $4.20) and Sea Of Flames (Kath Bell-Pitomac, $15).

First leg of a double for Kody Nestor was the Connie Greig, Dubbo trained Hemsted in the 1300 metres Coachman Hotel Punters Club Benchmark 58 Handicap. Reaching the lead from midfield, Hemsted ($26) won by a neck from the fast finishing Starlink (Wendy Peel, $6) with Planet Ex (Serg Lisnyy, $14) a handy third. Winner of the $50,000 Picnic Championship Final last year, Hemsted is owned by leading picnic jockey Leandro Ribeiro from Sydney and Tom Presits from Sweden.

Peter Nestor, the uncle of Kody Nestor, is back as a trainer after a break of several years and has won two races in succession with speedy mare Loving Angel. Clayton Gallagher was in the saddle again when Loving Angel after a five lengths win at Wellington went straight to the lead at Parkes and and justified the $2.05 favourite price when cruising home by over three lengths from East Harlem (Nick Heywood, $4.40) and Benyatta (Ken Dunbar, $16) in the 1000 metres Hankook Tyres BM 58 Handicap.

Nick Heywood may have missed out in the Cup when second on Kiptanui however he was all class when winning four races at the meeting including the feature spr int, the 1200 metres Telescope Tyres and Batteries Satellite Handicap on Invincible Dash for Queanbeyan trainer Nick Olive. Forbes Jockey Club president Randall Grayson shares ownership of Invincible Dash with associates and friends from the Stock And Station and livestock industries. Taking career prizemoney earnings to over $200,000, Invincible Dash (Nick Heywood, $13) burst through a late gap to gain a four way photo finish decision over Kateru (Shayleigh Ingelse, $17), Lady Shenanigans (Serg Lisnyy, $3.30) and Patrick May.

A recent addition to the Daniel Stanley stable at Wellington, for mer Victorian galloper Strategic Charge won the 1400 metres Parkes Far m Centre Maiden Plate in good style. Parked behind the leaders by Nick Heywood, Strategic Charge ($8) joined in quickly and won by over two lengths from the strong finishing Raiding (Ronald Simpson, $13) and Lumin (Clayton Gallagher, $2.80 fav.).

The other winners for Nick Heywood were the Dean Mirfin, Bathurst trained Ida’s Rules, $1.24 fav) in the 1000 metres D’Aquinos Maiden Handicap and Hello Jack ($2 to $1.85 fav.) trained at Goulbur n by Scott Collings, in the 1200 metres Bob Skinner Painting and Decorating Class Two Plate.

Backing up from beating a big field at Dubbo, the Roy McCabe, Bathurst trained Our Orator was again impressive when winning the 1600 metres McPhersons Par ts and Services Class Two Handicap at Parkes.

Well ridden by Tony Cavallo, Our Orator ($5.50 to $11) from near the tail of the field swept to a two and a quarter lengths win over Charlotting (Kody Nestor, $21) and Neidr Dawn (Andrew Banks, $9).