AFTER years of tireless efforts, the Tuncurry-Forster Jockey Club etched its name into racing history last Saturday with its inaugural TAB meeting.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
RELATED CONTENT: For all the photos...click here
A bumper crowd was on hand, under perfect weather conditions, to witness a six-race program, which was dominated by Australia's most winningest jockey Robert Thompson, a veteran of over 40 years and approximately 4200 wins. The 57-year-old rode three of the six winners, including one for local trainer Terry Evans.
The afternoon started with the Yarads Taree and Forster Maiden Handicap (1000m), and the punters were bang on the mark when they supported Gosford first starter Jonny Ge, trained by Adam Duggan. The son of Big Brown was heavily backed and he justified that support with a dominant 4.3L win, leading all the way in very easy fashion, beating home Jackknife and Liberty Park.
Thompson picked up his first winner in the next event, the Bellevue Hotel Maiden Plate (1400m), when he steered the Andrew Macdonald trained Louis Tres to an all-the-way win, holding off the fast finishing He's Harada's Son, who came from well back on the turn, while in third spot was Capt'n Thunderbird, who had the gun just off the speed and whacked away ok late.
Taree trainers love to bring horses to Tuncurry race meetings and they rarely leave empty handed, and the Robert Barnes trained Lobban Dynamite continued that tradition with a dominant display in the TJL Business Advisors Class One and Maiden Plate (2100m), but the race certainly wasn't without drama. Lobban Dynamite proved to be a real handful loading into the gates, and while she was refusing to be loaded, the well supported Sharani reared up in the gates and was a late scratching on vets advice. But that episode didn't faze Lobban Dynamite, who sat off the speed before pouncing at the top of the straight and careering away for her second career win.
Thompson was at his brilliant best again in the Evermore Retirement Living Handicap (1000m) when he partnered the Grant Marshall trained Hashtag Noidea to an on speed victory. He seized the initiative from a wide gate and speared over to lead the field at a good tempo and despite being very tired over the final 100m, the Newcastle galloper did enough to fend off Quarter Hennessy with World Of Pain back in third. Favourite for the race was Checkout Me Travla, and he looked to have his chance in running just an even fifth.
Loading scored somewhat of an upset win last start at Tamworth, but he proved that was no fluke with a slick finishing burst to take out the feature race on the card, the Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club Handicap (1600m). Ridden by Vad Bolozhinskyi, the son of Bite The Bullet came with a well timed run to down Golden Melody and the brave Yambaah, who sat wide throughout and did an excellent job to run third. Nonino started favourite for the race, but he sat back and never really improved, ending up finishing 12th.
Thompson wasn't satisfied with two winners, and local trainer Terry Evans wouldn't be satisfied until he had a winner, so thankfully the two combined to end the day on the right note for themselves and punters when Arise Augustus made a mess of his rivals in the Tooheys XXXX Gold Handicap (1200m). Thompson had the gelding in a perfect spot before peeling out on the turn and the horse just put the leaders away and drew clear to score a decisive win over Groomaze and Deceitful Don, who was game in defeat after sitting on a hot speed.