Carrying the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league colours worn by apprentice jockey Madeline Owen and trained by former local Damien Lane, Safado on Sunday won a thrilling Nutrien Ag Solutions Coonamble Cannonball.
Against a quality field of sprinters in the 1100 metres feature Sprint, Beauchamp led from Ecker Road, Dalavin and Dubbo Wanderer with Safado last in the 9 horse field. Ecker Road (Shayleigh lngelse,
$26) from the Gilgandra stables of Bryan Dixon Jnr. reached the lead close to the finish but was beaten a long neck by the fast finishing Safado ($8.50) with Toro Toro (Nick Heywood, $11) a short head away third while Beauchamp battled on well for fourth.
Now a successful trainer at Wyong, Damien Lane is a staunch supporter of meetings at Coonamble where he commenced his career.
Apprenticed to Clint Lundholm at Dubbo, Ronald Simpson continued his current tremendous run of success when he won the 1200 metres Whitewood & Pennell Maiden Handicap on the Lundholm trained Venatic. Owned by the family of Todd Smith the Lundholm racing stables manager, Venatic was backed from $6 to $3.90 favourite and led throughout for a dominant win over Lumin (Kody Nestor, $7) and Awaygoesthebunny (Wendy Peel, $8).
Rewarding Belle at debut was at $101 when third to Bare To Witness at Coonamble and returned on Sunday to reverse the result in the 1200 metres Mobil and Moe Jacobs Plumbing Showcase 2yo Handicap. Leading all the way the Michael Lunn, Dubbo trained Rewarding Belle (Jake Barrett, $5) won by over four lengths from Bare To Witness (Madeline Owen,$1.90 to $1.75 favourite) and Duren (Shayleigh lngelse, $4.40).
Later in the 1100 metres Dave Carter Plumbing Country Boosted Showcase Class 3 Handicap, Jake Barrett with a good front running ride on the Dar Lunn trained Daredevil ($26) held on to beat Obey
(Ronald Simpson, $13) and Brief Statement (Tony Cavallo, $4.60).
Jake Barrett is apprenticed to Brett Robb who trains Din (Kody Nestor, $3fav.) all the way winner of the 1300 metres Swamy’s Foods Class 1 Handicap from First Secret (Madeline Owen,$6.50) and Mean Girls (James Rogers, $61 ).
Scone trainer Luke Pepper had a winning double with Big Time Charlie (Nick Heywood, $2.75 to $2 favourite ) in the 1600 metres McKeowns Electrical and Coonamble Roadhouse Maiden Plate and Keikoku (Matthew Palmer, $3.20 fav.) in the 1300 metres Northwest Vets Class 1 Handicap.
Big Time Charlie and Keikoku both finished on from well back while the Stephen Jones, Scone trained Oh No Bro (Nick Heywood, $4.40) came from last to beat Cherry Blue (Ronald Simpson, $7) and State Capital (Chelsea Hillier, $13) in the 1600 metres Coonamble Panel & Paint Benchmark 58 Showcase Handicap.
Next meeting at Coonamble features the Gold Cup on Sunday October 8.
Meanwhile, the feature at Dubbo next Monday is the Final of the Dubbo RSL Club Winter Country Classic.
Written by Colin Hodges
