By Colin Hodges
Dubbo jockey Ken Dunbar has enjoyed considerable success at Grenfell meetings over recent years and on Saturday it was a winning double including Shafty in the 2000 metres Cultiv8 Financials Grenfell Cup.
Making a brave attempt to lead all the way, Jin Chi Phantom (Will Stanley, $7) was overhauled close to the finish and beaten a half neck by the David Blundell, Gundagai trained Shafty ($3.20 equal favourite) with Kiss The Bride (Corey Parish, $3.40) a half neck away third.
Orange based trainer Melissa Harrison supplied the other Ken Dunbar winner, On The Decs in the 1400 metres Mawhood’s IGA/Hilltops Equine Centre Maiden Plate.
Racing in fourth position, On The Decs ($4.20) then sprinted to an almost three lengths win over stablemate Diamond Sun (Will Stanley, $4.20) and Side Cash (Michael Heagney, $3.60).
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“It helps when you can get a Group 1 jockey to ride your horse at a non-TAB country meeting ,“ Lachlan Dale said, after Deploy And Destroy won the 1400 metres Coopers Civil & Crushing/Crutcher Developments -Loaded Dog BM 58 Handicap at Grenfell.
Lachlan Dale the foreman for his father, the Wangaratta, Victoria trainer Andrew Dale, was referring to jockey Cory Parish who is based at Seymour in Victoria.
Formerly from New Zealand, Cory Parish won the 2017 Caulfield Cup on the David Hayes trained Boom Time and he has also won the G1 South Australian Derby.
A winner at the 2023 Grenfell meeting, the magnificent looking, big dappled grey gelding Deploy And Destroy (Cory Parish, $2.10 favourite) found clear running in the straight and burst through the pack to beat Gilded Crown (Ken Dunbar, $5.50) and High Charge (Georgina McDonnell, $10).
Grenfell Jockey Club has an unrivalled reputation for the excellent way they treat trainers, owners and jockeys, evidenced by the big teams of horses brought the long distance from Victoria every year.
Andrew Dale had 7 starters while Don Dwyer from Seymour had 4 runners.
The huge smile said it all when Hannah Johnston returned after her career first winner, Play The Record in the 1000 metres Lachlan Fertilizers/KMWL/Forbes Livestock Maiden Handicap for Dubbo trainer Michael Mulholland to who she is apprenticed.
In the leading trio turning for home , Play The Record ($7) broke clear to win by over a length from Zillions (Angela Cooper, $11) and Roigard (Will Stanley, $3.60).
Hannah Johnston is very well liked and respected and her win was popular amongst the racing fraternity.
Parkes trainer Sharon Jeffries is a strong supporter of apprentice Will Stanley and they won the 1000 metres Bromar Engineering Benchmark 58 Handicap with Obsessive Nature.
Leading for home Obsessive Nature ($2.80) kicked away for a convincing win from Crimosa (Cory Parish, $2.30 fav.) and My Oddette (Jessica Brookes, $6).
Very well ridden by Georgina McDonnell in the 1200 metres Aston & Joyce/JJ O’Connors CASE I H Class 2 Handicap, the Daniel Stanley, Wellington trained Bush Warrior ($21) steadily made ground from well back and after hitting the lead in the straight won by a half neck from the fast finishing Five Feet Apart (Chelsea Stanley, $21) with a long neck to Cheap Shot (Jessica Brookes, $2.20 favourite).
Dubbo (TAB) racing on Friday, Mudgee on Saturday and Mungery Picnics on Sunday.
