Sport
16 December, 2024
Western racing report
Bush Telegraph and Zahidi salute for Dwyer racing stables at Dubbo.
The well-known yellow and cerise colours of Peter and Colleen Dwyer and their racing partners were carried to victory by Bush Telegraph and Zahdi in successive races on Monday, December 9, at Dubbo. Both gallopers are trained at Scone by Scott Singleton and were very well ridden by his mature-age apprentice, Ella Drew.
In the first year of her apprenticeship, Ella Drew (34), formerly from New Zealand, has now ridden 24 winners. A last-start winner at Narromine, Bush Telegraph again had Ella Drew in the saddle for the 1600 metres Robertsons Motorcycles/Kubota Benchmark 66 Handicap at Dubbo. Positioned on the rails behind the leading pack, Bush Telegraph ($4.60), in a dramatic finish, edged out Magic Pharoah (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.60 favourite) by a nose, with Ain’t She Swell (Mikayla Weir, $8.50) a half-length away third.
At the second run back from a spell, Zahdi (Ella Drew, $4.00) contested the 1200 metres Westside Hotel Bar and Bistro Class One Handicap and came from midfield to score by over a length from Brutal Love (Kody Nestor, $3.20 favourite) and Quick Onyx (Cobi Vitler, $10).
The lightly raced six-year-old gelding Taormina Sailor was a $21 winner at Dubbo in late September and, two starts later, was a $12 chance on Monday when winning the 1000 metres Latitude Liquor Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap at Dubbo. Locally trained by Myron Cooper and owned by his wife, Corinne Cooper, Taormina Sailor was well ridden in the lead by their daughter, apprentice Angela Cooper. Holding on strongly in the straight, Taormina Sailor won by a half neck from Candid (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $19) and Desirous (Mitch Stapleford, $6).
Dubbo trainers were off to a good start when the Cindy Monaghan-trained Trust A Kitty, after a string of placings, was a deserved winner of the 1600 metres Maas Mile Maiden Plate. Raced in partnership by Cindy Monaghan and stock and station agent Angus Barlow, Trust A Kitty (Jean Van Overmeire, $2.45 favourite) raced further forward than at recent starts and, after taking the lead turning for home, held on gamely to score in a three-way photo finish from Haze (Clayton Gallagher, $3.60) and Airwalker (Kody Nestor, $26).
Beauty Edge, a recent addition to the Clint Lundholm stable at Dubbo, had Kody Nestor aboard in the 1300 metres Latitude Liquor Wholesalers Maiden Handicap. Leading throughout, Beauty Edge ($3.50 to $2.70 favourite) breezed home over two lengths clear of Platinum Warrior (Shayleigh Ingelse, $8.50) and Grandini (Jan Van Overmeire, $1.90 favourite).
In the following race, the 1000 metres Westside Cellars Maiden Plate, the Rodney Northam-trained debut maker Speedy Henry (Leeshelle Small, $3.90 to $3.20) raced handy to the lead before winning by a half-length from Eastern Odyssey (Jessica Brookes, $31) and Bloomin’ Hell (Ken Dunbar, $17).
Completing a good day for Dubbo stables, the Michael Mulholland-trained Shadow Dane (Shayleigh Ingelse, $7.50) reeled in the leaders to win the 1300 metres Total Diesel Services Benchmark 58 Handicap from I’m Scarlett (Jan Van Overmeire, $7.50) and Star Intrigue (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $7.50).
