A large crowd braved a cold winter at Bathurst

Chumlee

A large crowd braved a cold wintery day for a very strong Pepper Tree Farm NSW Breeders Challenge Regional Finals meeting at Bathurst on Sunday afternoon. The honours were evenly, and widely, distributed.  Six $20,000 finals - for two, three and four-year-olds – saw six individual trainers and drivers, from all parts of the state, make it into the winner’s circle.  The locals for once were winless, unless Amanda Turnbull’s Victorian winner was granted honorary local status.

Merrywood Ruby ($2.10 favourite) took out the 2YO Fillies Final, her Sydney-based trainer Wayne Dimech revealing at the presentation that he’d set her for this race all season, after her older brother won the corresponding colts event last season. Gavin Fitzpatrick took the drive, and was impressed by the filly’s front-running effort.

The Colts & Geldings division went to Bettor Together ($5.90), with Todd McCarthy, another century-maker in NSW this season, handling the colt for his brother Luke and sister-in-law Belinda, who were no doubt much warmer campaigning their horses in Queensland!

Miss Nickels ($9.70) scored a well-deserved win for Goulburn visitor David Hewitt in the 3YO Fillies Final, after a string of recent places, including the Group 2 Breeders Challenge Blue Final.  Hewitt didn’t wait for the sprint lane, coming clear turning in for a decisive win.

Chumlee ($1.90 favourite) rounded out an outstanding visit home for Shepparton-based Amanda Turnbull, with a strong front-running win, his ninth overall, in the 3YO Colts/Geldings Final. His final quarter of 27.4 was slightly flattered by a strong tailwind in the home straight but impressive nonetheless.

Junee visitor Trevor White brought three runners to the meeting and was pleasantly surprised when the one he rated least, Shes a Jackson ($27.50), took out the 4YO Mares Final.  With four different leaders inside the first lap, White had the last run at them, and to make matters even better, he owns the Elsu daughter himself.

James Rattray dictated terms from the front in the 4YO Entires/Geldings Final with Glencore ($4.00), after a very fast lead time, and though several runners looked a little unlucky over the final stages, he held on for the win.

 CEO John Dumesny and Board members Alex Smith and Graeme Kelly represented HRNSW at the meeting, and were joined in the presentations by western districts identity Lex Crosby, representing Breeders Challenge sponsor Peppertree Farm.

Supporting races which book-ended the fixture were the 2YO, won by Junee visitor Boundtobemad  (Steven Harris) and a 3YO, with Captain Charge Over NZ giving James Rattray a double for the day, on his second visit to the new track, from an equally chilly southern highlands base of Exeter.

Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 31 racing clubs across the State.  HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.