John Wilson made a remarkable return to race riding to win the Wallace Bulk Haulage & Western Tree Care Bedgerabong Centenary Picnic Cup (1400 metres), on Saturday, aboard the Justin.W.Stanley, Narromine trained Wollartant.
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Seventeen years had passed since Wilson rode at a race meeting and it was at Bedgerabong when he won the 2002 Picnic Cup on Sports Fair trained at Orange by Mark Ostini.
In the meantime he had been a long serving stable foreman for the late Brian Buckley at Orange and more recently a trackwork rider at Narromine.
At the beautiful Bedgerabong racecourse and in front of a bumper crowd almost double the 2018 attendance, John Wilson produced a very good ride on the ten year old Wollartant, owned and bred by Terry Marskell a bookmaker and cattle farmer from Mudgee.
Drummed Out, Our Sarastro and Tearful Kitty vied for the lead down the back straight before Wollartant worked to the front near the hometurn.
Coming off good performances in strong company at recent TAB meetings, Wollartant ($6) held on strongly to win the by two lengths from the 2018 Cup winner Lulu’s Destiny (Maddison Wright, $1.60 favourite) and Drummed Out ( Alan Barton, $6 ).
Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb and south coast jockey Maddison Wright missed the top prize with Lulu’s Destiny however they combined for a winning double with Northern Myth and Cheeky Charley.
Owned by a big syndicate from Tottenham, Northern Myth ( $2.60 fav.) had a charmed run behind the leaders before accounting for Incision (John Wilson, $2.80) and Getting Ready (Michael Wade, $13) in the 1100 metres Class 3 Handicap.
Maddison Wright then had Cheeky Charley ($3 favourite) travelling nicely off the pace before winning the Fabstock & Forbes Advocate Maiden Plate (1100 metres) from Currawong (Jody Hughes, $5) and Dreamworthy (Alan Barton, $17).
Don Lister, a part owner and breeder of Cheeky Charley was one of many first time visitors to Bedgerabong amazed by the beautiful presentation of the track and surrounds.
“Instead of an annual meeting Bedgerabong should be racing every week”, said Don Lister at the trophy presentation.
Rider of Rodney Robb’s third winner was John Eady from Victoria who gave Madison Gardens a nice run on the rails behind the leading pack in the 1400 metres Class B Handicap.
Gaining a late split, Madison Gardens ($2.40 fav.) sprinted to a one length win over Archway Express (Maddison Wright, $2.60 ) and Peduzzi (Jody Hughes, $15).
Third leg of a treble for Maddison Wright was the Allan McRae, Yass trained French Giggle ( $2.50 fav.) which against a field of speedsters led most of the way to win the Clearview Bracelet Handicap (800 metres) from Gillie Mooch (Ricky Blewitt, $2.70) and Benno’s Boy (Jody Hughes, $3.20).
Trained at Parkes by Sharon Jeffries, Sikum was judged the best presented horse at the Bedgerabong Centenary races and ran up to the good looks by winning the 800 metres QBIRT Class B Handicap.
Taking control in the straight, Sikum ($2.50 fav.) ridden by Hawkesbury based Michael Wade, won by over two lengths from Spy’s Shadow (Ricky Blewitt, $6) and Silly Talker, Maddison Wright, $4 ).
Coming up in regional racing: Condobolin Picnics are on Saturday followed by Bathurst TAB on Tuesday.
