THE scratchings of the two favourites paved the way for Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer to win his first $100,000 Stacks Law Firm Taree Cup with six-year-old gelding Decroux ($7) at Manning Valley Race Club's meeting at Taree on Sunday.
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Scratched were Newcastle trainer Kris Lees' Korcho and Randwick trainer John Sargent's Home Ground with Lees and top Sydney hoop Jason Collett left with sole runner High Opinion ($6) which finished seventh.
Decroux is raced by Dynamic Syndications and was initially trained by the Randwick partners Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, it being transferred to Deamer early last year.
"It is a great feeling winning my first Taree Cup to go along with two wins for Dynamic in Sydney," Deamer said.
He said Christian Reith had Decroux "in a lovely spot" to get into a good rhythm in scoring by a neck from Port Macquarie gelding Cogliere ($16 to $6), trained by Marc Quinn, and Wyong's early leader, trainer Kristen Buchanan's Jazzland ($4.40 equal favourite with Dapto trainer Theresa Bateup's Monegal, fourth).
Decroux was obviously suited by the upgraded good 3 track as the win on the firm track joined five others on similar surfaces.
"It is my first horse from Dynamic Syndications and the owners are a bunch of good people."
Deamer said Decroux had resumed from a lengthy spell and its last couple of races were too short and on heavy tracks which were unsuitable.
Quinn was elated how close Cogliere went and the placing augurs well for his dream of winning the Port Macquarie Cup in October, another race over 2000m.
A betting plunge ($18 to $4.40) was landed by Scone five-year-old gelding Syd's Footsteps, trained by Brett Cavanough and ridden by Collett, in the Taree Kia Manning Lightning over 1000m.
The galloper was given a good run from just off the pace to beat Taree's Fair Dinkum ($9.50), trained by Ross Stitt, which came from near the rear of the maximum field.
Collett and Lees combined earlier with resuming three-year-old colt Midland which scored by 3.5 lengths after being backed from $1.60 to $1.24 in the Eddies Fresh Chickens Maiden Showcase Plate over 1000m
The only local winner was four-year-old mare Gold Bracelet ($9), trained at Taree by Ross Dawson and ridden by regular Coffs Harbour jockey Raymond Spokes in the TAB Country Magic Benchmark 66 Showcase Handicap over 1250m.
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It fell in by a short, half head from Taree mare Lobban Hood ($51), trained by breeder-owner Robert Barnes.
Dawson said of Gold Bracelet which has had six starts for four wins and a second-"She goes alright."
Four-year-old mare Spiranic ($2.50), trained at Scone by Rodney Northam and ridden by apprentice Reece Jones, scored by two lengths from Taree's Charmmebaby ($18), trained by Bob Milligan, in the Manning River Times F&M Class 1 Showcase Handicap over 1250m.
The five-hour trip from Dapto for trainer Theresa Bateup proved a winning one with three-year-old gelding Magico Hombre ($3.50), ridden by Jon Grisedale, scoring by two lengths in the Max 1073/2RE Showcase Class 1 for CG&E over 1250m.
Grafton trainer John Shelton and Port jockey Ben Looker combined with five-year-old gelding Great Marlow ($4), scoring by nearly two lengths in the XXXX Gold Country Maiden Showcase Plate over 1400m.
Shelton said he had high hopes for the galloper in which he has a share of ownership.
Wyong trainer Jeff Englebrecht was pleased that five-year-old gelding High Court $3.90, ridden by Grant Buckley, continued its strong form after injury in scoring by two lengths in the Manning River Hotel Benchmark 66 Showcase Handicap over 1600m.
"He was unlucky in the Grafton Guineas and hasn't gone back in form since," he said.
