Scone mare In A Wink came from last to collar Port Macquarie glamour gelding Fabry in the $25,000 Bakewell Haulage Gloucester Cup at Krambach Race Club’s TAB meeting at Taree on Tuesday (April 18).
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Aiding the win was a saloon passage taken by jockey Matt Bennett along the rails before getting a split near the post to give newcomer trainer 23-year-old Justin McIntosh only his second and biggest victory.
Five-year-old Fabry, ridden in front by Robert Thompson for his family of owners, was aiming for its fifth win from six starts at the Bushland Drive Racecourse.
It was a busy finish with nine of the ten in the field fanned across the track at the winning post.
Local hopes mare Shotgun Roulette (8th) and gelding Single Spirit (9th) making solid runs but finding the 1257m short of their best.
McIntosh has only had five-year- old In A Wink ($26) for three weeks, it formerly trained by Greg Bennett who has taken up an administration role in racing after retiring from training.
He said In A Wink had a “few problems” and it was a credit to the former trainer to have the mare racing well.
McIntosh took up training about eight month ago and his only other winner was Innerspring at Gunnedah in December.
In A Wink, owned by Mr and Mrs G J Leicht, will now join Taree’s Shotgun Roulette and Single Spirit in the $100,000 Tamworth Cup over 1400m on April 30.
Fabry ($5), a chestnut with four white feet and white blaze, trained at Port by Neil Godbolt, was having its 24 th start and has won seven races and been placed 11 times for about $118,000 prizemoney.
Race club president Les Cross congratulated the winners and was pleased that committee member and former president Alan Bakewell’s son, Kevin, will sponsor the race for Bakewell Haulage next year.
Thompson was seen at his best in the previous race, the Gloucester Advocate Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1007m, in not panicking with a slow start to rail through for a sit behind the leader before punching out three-year- old Newcastle filly Bonita ($3.80) for a hard fought nose win from the injury plagued Port gelding
Portatorio ($3.20) in the Newcombe Coachlines Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1614m.
The win was trainer Jason Deamer’s second , also having a close second, at the seven-race meeting.
Bonita was freshened up after wins at Taree and Cessnock in January to make it three wins, two of them at the track, in seven starts.
“I had my heart in my mouth a bit when she was slow away but then Robert gave her a dream run,” Deamer said.
Thompson added: “It was a good effort…she took a half backward step at the start.”
Deamer’s other winner was three-year- old filly Lady Montoya ($14 to $6.50), ridden by Chad Lever, in the WWW.Krambachraceclub.com.au Maiden Plate over 1614m.
“She is a big strong mare and it was only her second start for me, she came to me from a Warwick Farm trainer.”
Deamer’s second placing was with $2.60 favourite Lady Evelyn, beaten .75 of a length behind Port Macquarie four-year- old gelding The Blues Brother ($18), trained by Peter Cheers and ridden by Matthew Paget, in the Newcombe Coachlines Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1614m.
The only Taree winner was five-year-old gelding Blinkin Awesome ($14), beautifully ridden by Scott Thurlow, to give trainer Ross Stitt a much needed winner to break his drought in the Hygain Class 2 Handicap over 1312m.
“Scott rode him a treat,” Stitt said.
Other winners on the card were Warwick Farm colt Dragoneight ($7.50), trained by Gregory Hickman and ridden by Chris O’Brien, in the Krambach Race Club On Facebook 2YO Handicap over 1257m and Billabong Cindy ($11), Wyong trainer and former jockey Ben Hill’s first winner in his new profession.
It was ridden by Wauchope apprentice jockey Jackson Murphy, in the XXXX Gold Maiden Plate over 1007m.