STAWELL trainer, Andrew Bobbin, has strengthened his stocks for a Warrnambool May Carnival assault after landing a jumping double at Ballarat on Sunday.
The transferred Hamilton meeting provided numerous riding and training doubles, but it was Bobbin and his team that stole the limelight.
Promising chaser, Duke Of Bedford, didn’t let favourite punters down with a strong win in the Henry Dwyer Racing Steeplechase.
Settling on speed, rider Tom Ryan allowed the five-year-old to find the front in the home straight before lengthening to win by just under four lengths.
Allowing for natural improvement, he could develop into a top-class chaser with the likes of the Novice Steeplechase on the middle day of the carnival appearing to be another nice target race.
Ryan was also in the saddle for Mighty Oasis’ revenge victory over Instigator in the E Cycle Solutions Steeplechase 3250m.
The pair met last month at Warrnambool with Instigator winning, but a lovely on speed ride reversed the result on Sunday.
Now a four-time jumps winner, including last year’s Thackeray Steeplechase when defeating Rockstar Ronnie and Flying Agent, the eight-year-old will more than likely be aimed at the Brierley before contemplating backing up for the Grand Annual two days later.
The two hurdle races were won by Lincoln King in the E Cycle Solutions Maiden Hurdle for trainer, Kath Durden, while the hot start to the season continued for trainer, Aaron Purcell, winning the Ciaron Maher Racing Hurdle with Rising Renown.
Arron Lynch rode Lincoln King, with Aaron Kuru landing the first leg of a double on Rising Renown.
Kuru also teamed up with trainer, Symon Wilde, to win the Marshman Painting Maiden Highweight Handicap with I’m Airborne.
Wilde also trained a double, his second winner coming after a lovely front-running ride by Linda Meech on Freddy The Eagle in the Hygain Winners Choice 0-58 Handicap staying event over 2100m.
The trainer and apprentice combination of Tom Dabernig and Jordyn Weatherley travelled back to Warrnambool with a double.
Adandiman led all the way to win the Porter Plant BM64 Handicap (Neville Wilson Series Heat 2) over 1400m, before Kikusui rewarded favourite punters with a win in the Hygain Winners Choice 0-58 Handicap sprint over 1100m.
The other heat of the Neville Wilson Series was won by the Vincent Malady-trained mare, Alice Downs, ridden by John Allen.
Local trainer, Trudy Cottier, saddled up Dollar Bucks who finished third behind I’m Airborne in the Marshman Painting Maiden Highweight Handicap over 1400m.
Results
Race 1 E Cycle Solutions Maiden Hurdle 3250m - 1st Lincoln King (Arron Lynch/Kathryn Durden) $2.10f; 2nd Gunaluva (Aaron Kuru/Symon Wilde) $5.50; 3rd Davelliom (Will Gordon/Julie Scott) $5.50.
Race 2 Ciaron Maher Racing Hurdle 3250m - 1st Rising Renown (Aaron Kuru/Aaron Purcell) $12; 2nd El Diez (Richard O’Donoghue/Eric Musgrove) $21; 3rd Okataina (Ross O’Sullivan/Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott) $1.9f.
Race 3 Henry Dwyer Racing Steeplechase 0-114 3250m - 1st Duke Of Bedford (Tom Ryan/Andrew Bobbin) $2.90f; 2nd Tom Foolery (Chris McCarthy/John Leek Jnr) $6.50; 3rd Raise Your Sights (Aaron Kuru/Symon Wilde) $5.50.
Race 4 E Cycle Solutions Steeplechase 3250m - 1st Mighty Oasis (Tom Ryan/Andrew Bobbin) $5.50; 2nd Instigator (William McCarthy/Aaron Purcell) $2.7f; 3rd Vanguard (Aaron Kuru/Symon Wilde) $3.40.
Race 5 Marshman Painting Maiden Highweight Handicap 1400m - 1st I’m Airborne (Aaron Kuru/Symon Wilde) $1.22f; 2nd Bargino (Will Gordon/Symon Wilde) $7.50; 3rd Dollar Bucks (Chris McCarthy/Trudy Cottier) $21.
Race 6 Porter Plant BM64 Handicap (Neville Wilson Series Heat 2) 1400m - 1st Adandiman (Jordyn Weatherley/Tom Dabernig) $2.90; 2nd Ziggi Rocks (Ryan Houston/Melody Cunningham) $15; 3rd Kathy’s Beau (Jarrod Fry/Mitch Freedman) $1.85f.
Race 7 Hygain Winners Choice 0-58 Handicap 2100m - 1st Freddy The Eagle (Linda Meech/Symon Wilde) $1.85f; 2nd Not Usual Dream (Christine Puls/Rachael Cunningham) $21; 3rd Carnamah (Jarrod Fry/Rachael Cunningham) $8.50.
Race 8 Sportsbet Loves Ballarat 0-58 Handicap (Neville Wilson Series Heat 1) 1400m - 1st Alice Downs (John Allen/Vincent Malady) $2.70f; 2nd Lucky Compass (Alana Kelly/Kelvin Bourke) $4.20; 3rd The Turffinator (Jaylah Kennedy/Garry Murphy) $3.40.
Race 9 Hygain Winners Choice 0-58 Handicap 1100m - 1st Kikusui (Jordyn Weatherley/Tom Dabernig) $3f; 2nd Bywonner (Christine Puls/John Brooks) $13; 3rd Collison (Arron Lynch/Colin Scott) $5.
