Sport
26 March, 2024
Western Racing Report - Raced Saturday, January 27
Judge Neville Good celebrates a 50-year career.
Parkes - Raced Saturday, January 27
Judge Neville Good celebrates a 50-year career. Parkes on Saturday, January 27, was the final race meeting as the judge for Neville Good, who has retired after 50 years of loyal service at central districts and western area racetracks. A resident of Cobar before moving to Dubbo, Neville had a busy day at Parkes with a photo finish for first place in the majority of races. On an immaculately prepared track and before a good crowd, Island Press for the second year in succession won the feature event, the 1400 meters Parkes Services Club-Australia Day Open Handicap for Bathurst trainer Dean Mirfin. From fourth position approaching the home turn, Island Press (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.60 to $2.80 favorite) took the lead and held off the late charge by Johnny Dash (Nick Heywood, $2.70 to $3.60) to win by a half-neck with London Gal (Mathew Cahill, $8) a length away third. Sharing ownership of Island Press with Dean Mirfin is Peter Rogers who is well-known through his business selling fresh fish from the Sydney markets from his van to customers in central west towns.
Dean Mirfin completed a double when East Harlem (Mathew Cahill, $3.40) tracked the leaders before winning the 1400 meters Parkes Real Property Class Two Handicap from Crazy Wolf (Will Stanley, $18) and War Toy (Andrew Banks, $26). The fast-finishing runner-up Crazy Wolf is trained at Parkes by Sharon Jeffries who earlier won the 1600 meters Orange Vet Hospital Country Boosted Maiden Plate with World Reign. Leading throughout, World Reign (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $6) scored by almost three lengths from (Mrs. Bull, $3.10) and Bulla Vinaka (Mathew Cahill, $2.35 fav.). One of the last gallopers bred by the late Wally Prout from Gilgandra, the four-year-old mare Sisters Pick (Braith Nock, $3.10 fav.) led all the way to win the 1000 meters Kennards Hire-Judge Neville Good Retirement Benchmark 50 Handicap from My Girona (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $6) and Obsessive Nature (Jayden Barrie, $6.50). Owned by Robyn Douglas and trained at Narromine by her partner Wayne Collison, Sisters Pick has the good record of three wins and two placings from eight starts.
The other leg of a winning treble for apprentice Braith Nock was La Bravado ($3.90 fav.) which lasted to beat the strong finishing Camp Cove (Mitch Stapleford, $6.50) and Paraclete (Ken Dunbar, $21) in the 1200 meters Bob Skinner Painting and Decorating Maiden Handicap. Yet to win a race after 60 starts, Camp Cove has been placed 19 times and accumulated over $90,000 in prize money. Luke Pepper, who trains La Bravado at Scone, also had Ilzoomya (Will Stanley, $3.10 to $2.35 favorite) lead throughout to win the 1200 meters Parkes Courier Service Benchmark 58 Handicap from Kelilah (Clayton Gallagher, $2.40 to $3.20) and Pahang (Braith Nock, $26). Experienced jockey Andrew Banks produced a brilliant ride to win the 1600 meters Telescope Tyres and Hankook Tyres Country Boosted BM 58 Handicap on the Cheryl Crockett, Mudgee-trained Fact Finder. Near last and a long way from the leaders, Andrew Banks saved many lengths with an inside run in the straight on Fact Finder ($10) which won by a long neck from the strong finishing Gilded Crown (Clayton Gallagher, $15) and the leader Aussie Pharoah (Nick Heywood, $4.60 fav.).
