Parramatta NZ continued his remarkable run of success in Cup races for harness racing trainer-driver Amanda Turnbull when they combined to take out the Elgas/Mitre 10 Oberon Cup at Bathurst Gold Crown Paceway last Friday night.
The $14,000 race was the feature of a wonderful Oberon Community Cup meeting, which brought many hundreds of visitors from the picturesque mountains town into neighbouring Bathurst for a special night,celebrating their community’s special character as they raised over $4,000 for Ronald McDonald House.
Oberon Community Night at Bathurst is always a cracker, and this year was right up there with the best of them.
Amanda Turnbull navigated Parramatta safely through the rather chaotic early stages of the 2260 metres standing start event, gaining a nice trail on the pegs as Saloon Passage worked wide to eventually secure the lead.
Nathan Hurst put foot to floor with a 26.8s third quarter, with the race at that point looking a match between the two former Kiwi pacers, and that’s exactly how it played out, with Parramatta working clear on turning in and gaining the upper hand over a gallant Saloon Passage to get the win.
A final quarter of 28.8s completed a tough last half of 55.6s and an overall mile rate of 1:59.1 for the staying trip.
At the presentation, a chuffed Amanda Turnbull commented that “this fella seems to like these Cup races, he goes well in them!” His record certainly bears that out.
Since arriving in her stable in November 2016, the McArdle gelding has won the major Cup events at Cowra, Cootamundra, Orange – which he’ll be defending on the grass in a fortnight’s time – and Young, and we can throw in the P.J.Hall Memorial at Penrith, for good measure.
If her horse is a genuine “Cups specialist”, then Amanda must be the undisputed Oberon Cup specialist, this win being her sixth in the 17 years of the race, and her fifth in the last six years, a remarkable record.
She backed up with an easy front-running win in the following race, a C4-backed sprint, with another former Kiwi Eliza Dushku, slipping home in 55.9s for a 1:56.4 time, which seemed almost pedestrian after four earlier races won in 1:55.6 or better.
Although the record books mightn’t show it, she’s claiming a third success for the night, taking out the annual Horse versus Runners event, where she reined El Gran Señor to a thrilling victory over the relay pair of Oberon Tigers footballers Lachie Gilmour and Damien Curry, catching the latter runner right on the line.
The timing of Cup night was perfect for the presentation by HRNSW Chairman Rod Smith of a HRA Meritorious Service Award to Oberon identity John Brien, a Patron, Life Member and former President of the Bathurst club, for his life-long involvement in and service to the sport.
A similar award had been presented hours earlier to John’s great mate Ray Mawhood, hospitalised in Oberon, for similar exemplary leadership over many years.
Together they raced many good horses, most notably Smooth Dixie, a star juvenile and later a Cups horse, and Ray currently races Saloon Passage, one of Bathurst’s finest horses in recent years.
Bernie Hewitt scored a training double with Hez All Courage and Taylors Reason, with other wins to Captain Cosmonaut – his 1:54.8 run just outside the 3YO track record – What A Jolt, Kite Street (Anthony Winnell getting Drive of the Night) and Dont Tell Jack.
Eighteen-year-old Danielle Fisher, selected as the Oberon Princess of the Paceway, was one of four delightful young ladies who worked diligently all evening in the Ronald McDonald fundraising effort.
If Juan Antonio Samaranch had been present last Friday, he surely would have said, “and the winner is…Oberon!”
Terry Neil