TAREE trainer Bob Milligan's stable, with a third with Charmmebaby in the $500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final at Royal Randwick and a win at home with Texas Storm, gave racegoers plenty to cheer about at Manning Valley Race Club's TAB meeting on a heavy track at Taree on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Specked from $51 to $19, four-year-old mare Charmmebaby was at the rear on the turn and with every step in the straight made up about 12 lengths to place behind favourite Art Cadeau.
Six-year-old Texas Storm ($1.70), ridden by Ashley Morgan, looked to be in trouble when rearwards entering the straight but showed courage to peg back Taree's Lobban Hood ($4.20), trained by Coralie Burnett and ridden by Serg Lisnyy, by a quarter of a length.
Third, another quarter of a length away was another Taree galloper, Salamangkera ($8), trained by Joel and Wayne Wilkes and ridden by "wonder" apprentice jockey Dylan Gibbons.
Milligan's son, Glen, was in Sydney with Charmmebaby but kept a close watch on racing at Taree, saying that his recuperating father was "over the moon" with how both horses went.
"It was a big effort by Texas Storm as he is now looking for further" than the 1250m of the Sealed Air Handicap.
"The leader got away but according to Ashley he was always going to get the win, even though the race was run not to suit."
He said the stable now hoped to aim Texas Storm towards the $200,000 Tamworth Showcase Cup over 1400m on April 23.
The Taree win, its fourth in 34 starts, would have gained rating points towards inclusion in the race.
Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons may have missed a win in the race but he had two others on the seven-race card to take him to 43 for the season, not far behind his father, Andrew, on 52.
His first win by just over a length was on four-year-old mare Duchess Marizza ($2.15), trained by Jason Deamer at Newcastle, in the Integrated Hygiene Management Plate over 1600m.
The mare was always in the leading division and scored from Taree three-year-old gelding Ramsey's Law ($9.50, trained by Ross Stitt and ridden by Robert Thompson, which was going for its second win in three recent starts.
Gibbons second win was on another leader, Rutto ($6), trained by Craig Rutley, in the Bakewell Haulage Handicap over 1000m, edging out Taree trainer Matthew Robinson's Chelsea Magic ($15) by a half-length.
Queensland trainer Glen Petersen had three horses in the Hepworths Handicap over 1600m and had the first two placings with Spirit Of Eden ($6) and Lovespeed Girl ($5), separated by three lengths, with his other starter, I'm Jacko, up on the pace early before running last.
A late pick-up ride for Amelia Denby resulted in a just over two lengths win by Positive Factor ($31), trained at Newcastle by Nicole Hudson, it being in the leading division throughout in the Visyboard Plate over 1250m.