Maxwell Scores Dubbo Double
Bryan Maxwell-trained Cotton Jenny bounced back to her best form with a classy win in the main sprint of the afternoon at Dawson Park in Dubbo on Saturday, the Dubbo Vet Hospital Stakes over 400m.
Starting from box two and the punters' elect at $1.80 favourite, Cotton Jenny was only fairly away at box rise but showed great track sense to gain a great rails run going through the catching pen.
She cleared away for a hollow seven-length win in the smart time of 23.19s.
Venus Keeping finished well after being slowly away for second with third money going to Coonamble sprinter Obscurity.
The Bryan Maxwell-Glen Smith combination was to the fore again in the Blue's Meats Stakes (313m) when Fifield Lass ($1.70 fav) showed her rivals a clean pair of heels to score by 4.25 lengths in the nippy time of 18.19s, running a slashing 4.52s to the first mark.
The Charmaine Roberts kennel was also on the mark with a winning double.
The Dubbo trainer's winners were Ford Puzzle ($2.50) who opened his account with a 23.49s victory in the Blue Paws Maiden (400m) and Bear Keeping ($1.70 fav) who handled the eight box to perfection in a Winter Short Course Sprint Heat to score in 18.49s.
Another trainer on a high was Dubbo's Butch Smith who has Atomic Girl firing on all cylinders at present.
Starting at $4.60 in the Outwest Pumps and Irrigation Stakes (400m), Atomic Girl again showed good box speed to lead clearly and run 9.23s to the first mark.
She improved on that to race away to a 23.39s victory at good odds.
The race was one of the strongest fifth grade fields drawn at Dawson Park in recent times with six of the eight runners winning at their previous start.
The $1.80 race favourite, Maelstrom finished fourth after being fifth in the early and middle stages but still finished just 1.25 lengths from the winner.
The fifth grade event over the 516m journey was the BBE and LH Greyhound Supplies Stakes and appeared a two-dog affair. That's exactly what transpired with Mostly Hot ($2.50) and Fresh Fantasy ($2.20 fav) clearing out from the remainder of the field to stage a two-dog war.
Mostly Hot got the upper hand at the finish to score by half a length in the smart time of 30.37s for Geurie trainer Norm Hardie.
Fresh Fantasy was gallant in defeat going under by a small margin, with White Briar 11 lengths away in third place.
Another good winner was Caley Boy in the K Bell and B Miles Whistler Stakes (313m) who made it consecutive wins on the golden loam at Dawson Park defying all challengers to score in 18.76s in a rough house affair for North Dubbo conditioner Anthony Jeffrey.
Bookmakers got some respite when Sweeney ($3.50) for Barry Coyte from Orange and Half Moon ($5,00) for Wellington trainer Ron Moon got up, while race eight was declared a non-race when the leaders caught the lure just pass the driving tower.
Because this was one of three heats of the Winter Short Course Trophy, a ballot was conducted among the field of six, with Zinster and Foxy Min gaining a start in this Saturday's Final.
The final field (not in box order) is Zinster, Foxy Min, Bear Keeping, Miss Moon Havoc, Amity Street, Half Moon, Kalishnikov, Lamington and the two reserves, September Moon and Feraro Spice.
Courtesy : Brain Bakker, Dubbo Daily Liberal