Hokkaido, a former good performer on Melbourne tracks, struck form again to win the $9,000 Western Tree Care Bedgerabong Cup (1400 metres) before a very big crowd on Saturday.
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The win for Sharon Jeffries was special for the Parkes trainer as apart from being rewarded for her patience with a tricky horse it was also her birthday.
Being a rig, the eight-year-old Hokkaido has stallion tendencies and can be difficult to train and after accumulating over $270,000 prizemoney in Victoria lost form.
"My brother-in-law Craig Blackshaw who had been the trainer in Victoria sent me the horse and Hokkaido after a couple of good runs at Warren and Geurie has got his act together and won the Cup after a great ride by Brent Evans," Sharon Jeffries explained.
Going down the back of the beautiful Bedgerabong racecourse, Hokkaido took the lead and thereafter travelled well for Brent Evans who before taking a lengthy break from racing had ridden Group winners in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Mango Liston (Maddison Wright, $1.80 favourite) in a good position chased hard but was beaten over four lengths by Hokkaido (Brent Evans, $3,80) with Waldo Waldorf (Ricky Blewitt, $8) running on well for third.
Brent Evans for his exhibition on the Sharon Jeffries trained Nicksy Boy in the 1100 metres Maiden Plate received the Jack Hodges Memorial trophy for the most outstanding ride at the meeting, as judged by the stewards.
Nicksy Boy tried to hang off the track coming to the home turn but Brent Evans was able to skilfully steer his mount back on course and taking an inside run Nicksy Boy ($2.40) overtook Steph's Wish (Maddison Wright, $2 fav.) and won two lengths with Delago Express (Ashley Boyd, $21) a handy third.
Nyngan trainer and far south coast jockey Maddison Wright took their tally to eleven winners over the last four Bedgerabong meetings with a winning double, Rogue Runner and Ready Set Go on Saturday.
Humping the 70kg top weight, Rogue Runner (Maddison Wright, $2.20 fav.) in the Daniel Ball Transport-Clearview Bracelet Handicap led throughout to score by almost three lengths from Another Plan (Ricky Blewitt, $4) which finished very strongly from a long last while Dunderry (Alan Barton, $4) held on for third.
Twelve bookmakers operated at Bedgerabong and there were plenty of payouts made when the Rodney Robb trained Ready Set Go (Maddison Wright, $1.80 fav.) took the lead from Spy's Shadow then shot away to score by a sizeable margin from Lucky Starlet (Ricky Blewitt, $3.80) and Leica Stryka (Julia Presits, $7) in the 1400 metres Wessel Drilling Class B Handicap.
Strapped by Tammy Boyd and trained at Scone by her brother Mark Schmetzer, the four year old brown gelding Military Bay (Ashley Boyd, $3.60) was judged the Best Presented at the meeting and ran up to the good looks when setting the pace and breezing home by over four lengths from Dizzy Success (Michael Gray, $21) and Lucky Miss (Maddison Wright, $4.40) in the 1100 metres Class 3 Trophy Handicap.
Several jockeys before the opening race walked all the way around the Bedgerabong course and expressed their amazement how the committee from the little village were able in a severe drought prepare such a magnificent turf track.
Racing kicked off with the 800 metres Class B Handicap and in an exciting finish the Paul Theobald, Bathurst trained Red Marauder (Alan Barton,$4.40) lasted to beat Supreme Times (Maddison Wright, $2.80) on the outside by a nose with the $2.70 favourite Sikum (Brent Evans) in third place.
Condobolin Picnics and Orange (TAB) both on Saturday and Bathurst (TAB) on Monday.