THE Tuncurry Forster Jockey Club held their annual Seafood Race Day on Saturday, and a bumper crowd was on hand under glorious weather to witness a five-race card, highlighted by the Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club Oyster Cup (1400m).
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The feature event attracted a field of 14, with the punters selection being the Terry Evans trained Desert Land, a last start Port Macquarie winner.
But it was a Muswellbrook visitor that got the cash, with the Stephen Gleeson trained Dancing Daydream, ridden by Leanne Henry sitting on the speed and holding off a fast finishing Mojo Moon, with the leader King Of The Creek sticking on for third at massive odds. Desert Land never looked like the winner and could only manage sixth.
Evans though kicked the day off on the right note in the Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club Maiden Plate (1000m) when Decompression held the rail and victory narrowly over She's A Mod, who sat outside the local, with Newcastle filly Nerio savaging the line late for third, beaten a short margin. Decompression, ridden by Scott Thurlow, recorded her first win in 15 starts.
Wyong trainers scored the first of two winners for the day in the second race when Group l winning trainer Steve Farley saddled up Sicilian Miss to win the Pulse Health Private Hospital Cape Hawk Maiden Handicap (1300m).
The daughter of Northern Meteor, perfectly handled by gun Mid North Coast apprentice Priscilla Schmidt, just prevailed over favourite Saintly Pro with early leader Oscar Queen whacking away for third ahead of Gwenifer, who made up good ground late.
Jest Mamboo wasn't previously known as a first up horse, but the Taree gelding, trained by Bart Dening and steered by Shane Arnold, came with a well timed run off a hot speed to nail one of those speed runners in Hunter Lad in the TJL Business Advisors Taree and Tuncurry Benchmark 45 Handicap (1000m).
Those two cleared out late ahead of Snip Me, who worked to the line strongly from the back while favourite Nanyuki was caught wide all the way and can be forgiven for running fourth. His effort was good under the circumstances.
The Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club Maiden and Class One Plate (2100m) closed out the program and Webmeister completed a winning double for Wyong trainers when the Norman Rogers trained gelding slogged it out best in the straight to win by over two lengths from Diamond Hunter with Midnight Myth running third, just ahead of Exotic Fever.
The Steve Farley trained Much To Offer led them up but punctured badly to run second last, beaten nearly 13 lengths.
Once again, a massive congratulations to all the volunteers, the major sponsors, which include the Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club, Wallis Lake Seafood, Pulse Health and TJL Business Advisors, along with the tireless efforts of TFJC president Garry McQuillan.