Maintaining their good recent form the Garry Lunn, Dubbo-trained Sweet Little Kiss, Fetes Des Meres, and Bonnie And Bruce won the final three races on Monday, July 21 at Bathurst.
Sweet As A Kiss and Bonnie And Bruce were last start winners while Fetes Des Meres had won successive races at Warren and Coonamble before a big performance when coming from the outside barrier and making up many lengths to finish a close second on a heavy track at Mudgee.
A runaway winner by over five lengths at Dubbo, the three-year-old filly Sweet As A Kiss was again dominant at Bathurst despite coming back from 2200 metres 1800 metres in the Central West Electrical Benchmark 66 Handicap.
Near last approaching the home turn in a packed field, Sweet As A Kiss (Siena Grima, $3.80) gained an opening and raced away to win by over two lengths from Midnight Luna (Olivia Dalton, $3.10 favourite) and Skiing (Heavalon Van Der Hoven, $5).
Further enhancing the rating as one of the best prospects in the region, Fetes Des Meres was again highly-impressive when winning the the Benchmark 66 Handicap.
Unplaced at all five starts in Victoria before joining the Garry Lunn stable, the three-year-old filly has been outstanding in the four outings for the Dubbo trainer.
Back in distance to 1100 metres at Bathurst, Fetes Des Meres ($2.70 to $2.35 favourite) travelled back in the field but when eased to the outside at the top of the straight by Siena Grima accelerated quickly to round up the opposition and win by over a length from Magical Elegance (Heavalon Van Der Hoven, $8) and Vis I Do (Grant Buckley, $6.50).
The highly talented Siena Grima who only started race riding last year has already ridden over 90 winners and it was yet another noteworthy exhibition when taking out the 1400 metres Inland Digital Class One Handicap on three-year-old gelding Bonnie And Bruce.
Parked behind the leaders, Bonnie And Bruce ($6) overhauled Angels Cry (Molly Bourke, $9.50) to win by a long head with Saint Philomena (Kath Bell-Pitomac, $21) a handy third.
During a good day for Dubbo stables, Slush Fund following a second to the smart Wonder Step at Cowra, won the 1300 metres Bathurst Communications Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap.
Owned by Kathryn Smith and the Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm, Slush Fund (Zoe Hunt, $5) led throughout for a 2 lengths win from East Harlem (Molly Bourke, $5) and Green Pineapple (Grant Buckley, $3.30 to $2.70 favourite).
Apprenticed to Clint Lundholm, Zoe Hunt recently rode her 50th winner which resulted in a reduction of her apprentice allowance to 1.5 kilogram.
Racing in the distinctive red and white dots colours of prolific Sydney owner Kim Harding, the Cheryl Crockett, Mudgee-trained Marvel Man (Winona Costin, $1.60 to $1.30 favourite) led or home and cruised to the line more than five lengths clear of Vinari (Kody Nestor, $3.40 to $6.50) and French Harp (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $16) in the 1100 metres Elders Emms Mooney Maiden Plate.
Other winners were the Bjorn Baker, Warwick Farm-trained Shirley’s Tribute (Robbie Downey, $2.80 to $3.40) and Unreal Expectation (Kody Nestor, $6) trained at Hawkesbury by Tara and Philippe Vigouroux.
