Racegoers were happy to be back on track for the race that stops a nation and were treated to five local races on a good 4 track bathed in sunshine.

Spokes dominated the meeting with wins on four-year-old Newcastle gelding Owned Up ($4), trained by Jason Deamer, and four-year-old mare Luftwaffe ($6.50), trained at Port Macquarie by John Sprague.

Owned Up scored by 2.5 lengths, following a sixth over 1400m at Tamworth, in the feature Taree Cup Sunday 21 November Benchmark 50 Handicap over 1600m.

Deamer said he brought the gelding north "for an easy kill" and everything panned out well.

"That will give my horse confidence and he could be in for further improvement,"he said.

It was a handy win as the gelding beat Cessnock's Harry And The Duke ($2.40), a winner of three races from its past four starts for trainer Jeremy Sylvester, with third going to Port's Dangerous Dan ($3.20), trained by Matthew McCudden, which was backing up being unplaced in heavy going at Coffs Harbour on Saturday.

Luftwaffe just held on from the fast finishing Taree galloper Ready To Chase ($4.60), trained on the track by Tony Ball, it having its third start from a spell, in the Zulu Club Gala Dinner December 4 Class 1 Handicap over 1000m.

Sprague said he was disappointed with Luftwaffe's first run back from a spell when "it knocked up" but it had "worked well since".

Seven-year-old gelding Doolie ($16), trained at Port by Jonathan Smith and ridden by Port's Luke Rolls, was fourth out of the stalls but quickly mustered speed to lead and score by three-quarters of a length in the Kennards Hire Taree Benchmark 50 Handicap over 1250m.

The Grandson made up good ground from the rear for second for trainer Darryl Roberts with third going to Sylvester's Day Dreamin" which also was back early.

One of the easiest wins was by five-year-old mare Lucky One ($3.80), trained at Taree by Karen Owen, which scored by nearly five lengths from Deamer's $1.80 favourite Loneisha,ridden by in-form jockey Georgina McDonnell, in the Tabcorp Maiden Plate over 1300m.

Owen said she would have loved her daughter Madelaine on Lucky One but she was required by her master Brett Cavanough to ride at Muswellbrook where she had a win on Saint Ay.

"My horse has had a few issues and is a late maturer," Owen said.

"The mare needed to be on the speed and it was a nice win."

She said Lucky One had earned a spell as the mare had been "up a long time".

Two former Taree trainers, Frank Dening and his son,Bart, are involved in the win of three-year-old filly Love Class ($9), by more than two lengths for Tuncurry trainer David Callaughan and jockey Mitchell Bell in the Bortoli Wines Maiden Plate over 1000m.

Callaughan, who wasn't trackside due to Covid regulations, said his wife Pip was most responsible for the win at the filly's second start.

"The firm track was the positive," he said.

"She is only little but tough."

He thought Frank bought the filly for $1500 and put the ownership in Bart's name.

Callaughan's last win was in the Jungle Juice Cup back in 2019.

Racing returns to Taree on November 21 for the big $100,000 Taree Gold Cup over 2000m in a "Showcase" TAB meeting worth $345,000, plus trophies.

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