Western Racing Report - May 30, 2023

Jockey Ronald Simpson, gained further recognition for his outstanding ability when riding a winning treble on Sunday at Wellington. Two of his winners, Notabadidea and Obey, are trained at Dubbo by Clint Lundholm, to whom Simpson is apprenticed, while fellow Dubbo trainer, Dar Lunn, supplied his other winner, Pants On Fire.

Notabadidea, a previous winner for races up to 2400-metres, was kept fresh by Lundholm and landed good bets when backed in from $9 to $5 for the 1400-metre feature race, the Simmo Signs Benchmark 74 Handicap.

Parked in a handy spot by Ronald Simpson, Notabadidea finished best to score in a three-way photo finish from Majority (Clayton Gallagher on the $2.50 favourite) and Kateru (Shayleigh Ingelse at $21).

Obey (at $6.50) settled well-back in the 1100-metre Over The Line Racing Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap, before storming home down the outside to win by a halflength from Brogans Creek (Patrick Scorse at $5) and Starane (Tony Cavallo on the $3.20 favourite).

Trained by Dar Lunn for Guy Mitchell from Binnaway and Rob Pratten from Dubbo, Pants On Fire (Ronald Simpson at $5.50) led throughout when beating War Toy (Chelsea Ings at $16) and Vain Rich (Will Stanley at $3) in the 1400-metre Ryan and Rankmore Chartered Accountants Class One Handicap. Leading senior jockey, Clayton Gallagher was also in good form at the meet, booting home a winning double on Press Forward and Bold Offa.

From the Dubbo stables of Brett Robb, Press Forward (the $1.55 favourite) tracked the leaders to the home-turn before getting to the front and beating Vanoureuce (Ronald Simpson at $8) and Serifice (Tony Cavallo at $9) in the 1100-metre Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club Country Boosted Maiden Plate.

Opposed to a field of speedsters, the Allan McRae, Yass-trained Bold Offa (at $4.60) led for home and heldoff the fast-finishing Billabong Isle (Will Stanley at $3.50) with Beauchamp (Hollie Hull at $5) filling third place in the 900-metre Jennifer Conn Lawyer and Consultant Benchmark 66 Handicap.

Owned by James Carolan and trained at Dubbo by Garry Lunn, Freycinet (the $2.60 favourite) at the first start since coming from South Australia, had a length of the straight battle with Break Over (Ronald Simpson at $3.50) before winning by a head with Schmacko (Chelsea Ings at $26) third in the 900-metre KFC Wellington Maiden Handicap.

The other winner at Wellington, was the Claire Lever, Hawkesburytrained Romantic Rock (Kayla Nisbet at $3.60) in the 1400-metre Federal Hotel Maiden Plate.