Tempted by the chance to be a part of history by winning a race at the 100th anniversary of racing at Bedgerabong, multiple premiership winning trainers Trevor Sutherland from Wagga Wagga and Rodney Robb from Nyngan are bringing strong teams to the Picnic meeting on Saturday.
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Their starters in the $7,500 Wallace Bulk Haulage - Western Tree Care Bedgerabong Picnic Cup (1400 metres) will be Lulu’s Destiny trained by Robb and the Sutherland trained Tearful Kitty.
Both trainers are well known in the local area, Robb winning the last two Bedgerabong Picnic Cups, with Security Code (2017) and Lulu’s Destiny (2018) and Sutherland the last two Forbes Cups, with Gentleman Max (2017) and Willy White Socks (2018).
Outstanding horsemen, Sutherland and Robb have achieved some remarkable results over recent seasons.
At the annual Carrathool meeting in 2017, Trevor Sutherland trained the program, all six winners on the day while he has twice won the famous Wellington Boot, with Sin Sin Sin and Power Alert and won the Southern Districts Racing Association Premiership four times.
Rodney Robb, the winner of many Premierships, won five races at Trangie Picnics in December and at the following Picnic meeting had four winners at Geurie.
The $50,000 Picnic Championship at Dubbo was inaugurated in 2017 and Rodney Robb has won both stagings to date, with Security Code and Austin.
Last year the Robb trained Lulu’s Destiny won the Bedgerabong Picnic Cup from Spinning Dawn and Cyclone Andy and at the two starts since resuming from a spell has run very good races at Wellington and Dubbo.
Maddison Wright, based at Moruya on the far south coast, rode Rodney Robb’s four winners at Bedgerabong last year and will again ride Lulu’s Destiny in the Cup on Saturday.
Winner of seven races, Tearful Kitty ran third at Tumbarumba last week and will represent Trevor Sutherland in the Cup with former professional jockey and now successful Picnic rider Jody Hughes in the saddle.
Racing in top form at present in strong company at TAB meetings the ten-year-old Wollartant from the Justin.W.Stanley stable at Narromine looms as a big chance in the Cup and will be ridden by John Wilson who is making a comeback to race riding.
Another likely to be well fancied in the betting ring is the bold frontrunner Our Sarastro trained at Dubbo by Connie Greig.
As usual the Clearview Bracelet (800 metres) has attracted several noted speedsters including the flying Gillie Mooch trained by Justin W. Stanley.
Ricky Blewitt, the Premiership winner on the NSW Picnic circuit last season, will ride Gillie Mooch.
Benno’s Boy from the Trevor Sutherland stable is a remarkably tough galloper with 15 wins and 35 placings from 128 starts.
Bedgerabong racecourse is in magnificent condition and each year when visitors arrive from around Australia to the iconic meeting they regularly express amazement at the presentation of the beautiful venue for racing.
Amongst the big crowd at the 100th anniversary are likely to be former jockeys from Forbes who have ridden a Bedgerabong Picnic Cup winner, including Tom Molloy, Danny Molloy and Chris Davie.
A former jockey unable to be present this year is Andrew Chandler from Forbes who has been battling ill health over recent months.
Andrew Chandler had his career first winning ride at Bedgerabong on Black Chalice, trained at Forbes by Barry Molloy for the late Bill Maher from Trundle.
Other winners for Andrew Chandler included Wing Commander in the Tottenham Picnic Cup and Caped Courage for Forbes trainer Percy Cain, and Hunger Striker at Tullamore for Barry Molloy.
The Bedgerabong meeting coincides with the return to racing by the superstar Winx and the champion mare's quest to make it 30 straight wins, in the Apollo Stakes at Royal Randwick.
Racegoers at Bedgerabong can watch Winx on Sky Racing screens at the racecourse.
First race Bedgerabong at 1.40pm.