Stewards needing a weigh-in for correct weight and officials waiting with the winning trophies were finally satisfied just before the start of the next race after tracking the four-year-old down.

The gelding was running about outside his Racecourse Road stables when nearby resident Greg Murrell captured and tethered the escapee.

This incident occurred when jockey Jeff Kehoe was pulling up the winning galloper after scoring over 1100m on October 28.

Golden Comet’s trainer Margaret De Gonneville said she was amazed that her gelding didn’t seriously injure himself in his quest for home surroundings.

“He didn’t want to go back to the course again but stewards had other ideas,” she said.

Golden Comet then showed the win was no fluke and scored by just over 3.5 lengths over 1000m at Kempsey on November 9, that being its third win, with two placings in seven starts.

Golden Comet lines up in the Harrington Cup 2 Jan Benchmark 66 Handicap over 1000m on Monday with Kehoe aboard again.

“Jeff and he get on like a house on fire—“he is brilliant out of the barrier.

“Golden Comet is still very green and learning to settle but he has done well since his last win.”

Two Taree gallopers with great form over the distance are resuming but they do have good fresh wins records.

They are speed merchant six-year-old mare Lobban Hood, trained by breeder-owner Robert Barnes and five-year-old mare Valbeata, trained by Bob Milligan.

Lobban Hood has had 17 starts at the track for three wins and 10 placings at the distance and in five campaigns has placed four times first up.

“She looks better than she has ever been after a good holiday,” Barnes said.

The mare has been dogged by a crook knee and her 12 runs last campaign had to be spaced.

“She is honest, well-natured and never too far away,” he said.

Valbeata was sent for a spell after getting an abscess in a hoof, has worked well in preparation for a first-up run and likes plenty of speed on early as she gets back.

“She was very promising early on and loves the sting out of the ground,” said Milligan’s son, Glen.

“She did run fourth in a heat of The Championships and will later on enjoy further ground.

He said a likely aim for Valbeata could be the Harrington Cup on January 2.

Another local mare resuming is five-year-old Spinning Quarters, trained by Matthew Robinson, which also possesses good first-up form, it having won here and been placed at 1000m.

Hardest to beat could be three-year-old filly Silver Melody from the excellent winning strike rate stable of Newcastle’s Kris Lees.

It has a win and a second at Newcastle over 900m and looks promising.

Taree trainer Michael Byers, fresh from a win with Casino Mondial at Port on Tuesday, has two good hopes in last start track winner Port Gold in the Summer Beach Party 2 Jan F&M Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1250m and with Tiger’s Image in the Winning Post Function Centre @ Taree CG&E Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1250m, a heat of the Rising Star Series for apprentice jockeys,both to be ridden by 2kg claiming Wendy Peel.

DOUG RYAN’S SELECTIONS

RACE 1: Destiny’s Choice 1, Bullseye Score 2, Bycromac 3.

RACE 2: Magnolia Power 1, On Time 2, Spirited Belle 3.

RACE 3: Saganaki 1, Pinnacle Power 2, Mon Cheri 3.

RACE 4: Front View 1, Jazzland 2, Bedivere 3.

RACE 5 Mimic 1, Port Gold 2, Off The Dial 3.

RACE 6: Tiger’s Image 1, Charlie’s Law 2, Zioptimus 3.

RACE 7: Silver Melody 1, Golden Comet 2, Lobban Hood 3.