THE Tuncurry Forster Jockey Club held its annual Tuncurry Mile race day on Saturday with the theme being Spring Fling.
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A bumper crowd was on hand under fine weather to witness a six race program supported by the Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club Tuncurry Mile (1600m).
The race attracted a field of seven runners, but with one scratching, the field was reduced to six.
Despite the lack of numbers the race certainly had plenty of action starting off with Wyong galloper Pressure Drop bungling the start and forced to sit last in the run.
Orbitor and Attitude Pays dictated the speed early on before jockey Matthew Bennett decided to take matters into his own hands and take up the running.
While all of this was going on, another Wyong galloper, Crown Of Snippets, ridden by Nathan Thomas and trained by relative Stan Thomas had the charmed run behind them and peeled out on the home turn before letting down strongly in the straight to gain the upper hand over Attitude Pays.
Crown of Snippets drew away with a convincing win over Pressure Drop, who did a very good job to run second under the circumstances, with Attitude Pays in third.
First points in the afternoon went to the locals and Terry Evans when five year old mare Wooden Take It, ridden by Taree apprentice Andrew Adkins, led every step of the 1200m journey to record a 1.8 length win over Fascinat, who sat outside the leader and eventual winner, with Positive Thoughts a lip away third nearer the rail. Those three dominated from the front and the backmarkers didn’t get a look in.
Kempsey trainer Barry Ratcliff has been a frequent visitor to Tuncurry and rarely leaves without a win. He continued that trend thanks to Red Room Of Pain, who proved a touch too classy for her rivals in the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1200m).
The mare sat outside the leader Hills Of Heather went quickly past her at the top of the straight and kept going under the urgings of Shane Arnold to hold off a gallant Rachels Own, with Walkingintheair in third.
Adkins brought up a double courtesy of Jest Mamboo in the next race who showed good fight to hold off a valiant Bullioh by a half length with Battered close up a further half length away.
Those three had the race run to suit thanks to the slow tempo set by Adkins on the eventual winner and like the first race it was hard for anything from the back to make ground although Texas Clipper who can only be described as a nutcase was climbing all over their backs and should have finished much closer.
The most convincing win of the afternoon came courtesy of another Wyong galloper this time Barstow.
The Damien Lane trained mare sat behind Jenkakal who pulled her head off in the front and allowed jockey Matthew Bennett to get the perfect cart into the race on Barstow.
He peeled out on the mare 400 metres, gave her a couple of cracks of encouragement and let down powerfully late to charge clear of her rivals, winning by a widening four lengths.
Hazzard County whacked away for second ahead of Rockin’ Lobban.
The last race on the card was a 2100m maiden and between the four runners they had raced 46 times without a win so one of them was going to get a birthday present.
Allan Chau on Goodooga set a very slow speed early on before Alison Threadwell on Sonneteer took the initiative and whipped around to take the lead.
As they turned for home, Threadwell eased away from the rail and gave Chau a beautiful run to charge through and despite taking his time, Goodooga eventually got there to win ahead of Sonneteer with Pure Dragon, who was under pressure 1000m out but still kept finding and ended up in third place.
Once again a massive congratulations to all the volunteers, the major sponsors, which include the Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club, First State Conveyancing, TJL Business Advisors and Holcim Concrete, along with the tireless efforts of TFJC president Garry McQuillan.