Emotional Taree hotelier Gary Rollings was proud to have a hometown win with five-year-old mare Cash Spinner ($4) in the $30,000 DFK Crosbie-AHA Krambach Cup (1610m) before a good crowd at Taree.
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His near tears speech at the presentation ceremony culminated in thoughts of past Krambach Race Club president Alan Bakewell being in hospital, a death and no doubt thoughts of his past father, Bill Rollings, a long-time committee member of Taree Wingham Race Club.
It was his father who blooded Rollings into racing thoroughbreds, some good, others not so good, but it was costly Cash Spinner which he put all his hopes into being a handy galloper.
Former trainer Bart Dening did all the formative work on Cash Spinner and when he retired after a couple of wins with her, the training was passed to the capable hands of Grafton’s John Shelton, who notched his fifth win with the mare and took her prizemoney to just over $110,000.
Rollings paid tribute to both trainers, was happy to have a hometown cup and—“this means a lot.”
Jockey Ben Looker, formerly apprenticed to Shelton, gave Cash Spinner a cosy run mid-field behind the tearaway leader, Single Spirit (5th, $17), trained on the track by Ross Stitt, before making its move halfway down the straight.
Cash Spinner scored wide out by a neck from Port Macquarie’s Hippy High Ho ($5), which ran a good race in open company the first time for trainer Neil Godbolt, a length in front of Port’s Don’t Nicme ($6).
Riding honours went to regular visitor, Hall Of Fame jockey Robert Thompson, who rode a winning treble with Godbolt’s Fabry, Warwick Farm trainer Gregory Hickman’s I’m Bulletproof and Newcastle trainer’s Roxette.
Fabry ($2.80 to $2.20) made it four wins from five starts at the track in leading all the way in the Harrington Hotel—Krambach Sprint Handicap over 1255m to score by just over a length for a syndicate of family owners, including his mother Phyllis Thompson.
“He had just ridden two winners and I said gee, he won’t have enough petrol left for ours,” said his mother.
“Mum got him home…she cheered him on,” said her son in coming back to the winner’s stall.
“This horse loves racing here and his only way is out in front…that’s what he likes,” he said.
Hickman’s trip north was rewarded with I’m Bulletproof ($1.50) justifying its short quote to score stylishly to show the four-year-old gelding has potential over further distances with a 1.5 length win in the Twin Palms Spring Water Maiden Handicap over 1408m.
