Sport
19 October, 2026
La Chapparon finally breaks through
It was a day of firsts with the new season at Orange opening and La Chapparon winning.
By Colin Hodges
Raced at Orange; Thursday, October 8.
After the traditional winter recess, the new season at Orange kicked-off with a good crowd and a win for the locally owned and trained La Chaparron in the opening race.
Trained by Alison Smith and owned by the Orange club president Craig Buckley in partnership with family and friends, La Chapparon a noted strong finisher from back in the field had been placed several times but still winless after 18 starts before the 1400 metres Tamburlaine Organic Wine-Country Boosted Maiden Handicap.
With the talented apprentice Deon Le Roux in the saddle, La Chaparron ($4.60 to $3.80) came from midfield to reel in the leading pair and arrive in the last stride to win by a head from the favourite Inspiritu (Louise Day, $2.50) with Nutbush Dancer (Amy McLucas, $5.50) a length away third.
In a thrilling finish to the 1600 metres Orange Motor Group Benchmark 66 Handicap, the Claire Lever, Hawkesbury trained Yes Siree (Winona Costin, $3.10 to $2.80 favourite) in the centre of a line of three, won by a half-head from the fast-finishing Naval Officer (Mathew Cahill, $5.50) on the outside while there was a short half-head to Tavijewel (Izzy Neale, $18) on the rails which fought on gamely after leading.
Barry Wall trains the third placegetter Tavijewel and another of his small team at Cowra, Rule Of Faith, later won the 1300 metres Inland Digital Class One Handicap.
Having the second start for Barry Wall after previously racing from Hawkesbury stables, Rule Of Faith (Izzy Neale, $10) led throughout to beat Swift Gun (Jacob Stiff, $9) and Bushwalker (Deon Le Roux, $21).
Leading apprentice Jacob Stiff and Dubbo trainer Michael Mulholland combined with Vicious Rumour ($6) which raced past the favourite Patrika Express (Coriah Keatings, $1.40 to $1.30) in the straight to win by over a length with Can Do It (Nick Heywood, $16) back from a spell, running home well for third in the 1000 metres ShedBoss Central west-Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap.
The success rate of high profile Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker at central districts tracks continued with a winning double at Orange, Macaroon ($2.70 favourite) and Kennedy Compound ($8).
Both were ridden by apprentice Amber Riddell formerly the champion apprentice in New Zealand and the daughter of leading New Zealand jockey Jonathon Riddell.
Raced at Forbes; Saturday, October 10.
Exciting finishes continued throughout the Forbes meeting culminating in a dead-heat for first between Bitta Bon Magic and Calmundi in the final event.
Yael’s Delight led for home in the 1200 metres Club Forbes Benchmark 50 Handicap before the Bill Hayes locally trained Bitta Bon Magic (Jess Del Frari, $5.50) and Calmundi (Kody Nestor, $13) from the Kylie Kennedy stable at Narromine, crossed the finish line together and were unable to be separated by the judge while a half-length away third was Ms Reeves (Jacob Stiff, $6).
Over recent years Bill Hayes has taken a team to race over summer at King Island and after the latest trip brought home one of the Island horses, Bitta Bon Magic.
Racing kicked-off at Forbes with the 1200 metres Bedgerabong Picnic Races Maiden Plate and coming from back in the field the Brett Robb, Dubbo trained South Eight (Clayton Gallagher, $4.40) edged out Argyle Springs (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $2.90 favourite) by a long head with The Friskee Flash (Glenn Cahill, $3.50) a neck back third.
Sairyn Fawke, after riding in South Australia and other States, is now based at Canberra and was at Forbes to ride Jade Division for Gulgong trainer Brett Thompson in the 1400 metres Terry Bros Carpet Court Benchmark 50 Handicap.
Working home from last and under strong riding, Jade Division ($12) won by a head from Commando Jack (Clayton Gallagher, $1.75 favourite) while over a length away third was Champ De Mars (Jacob Stiff, $7.50).
Owned by former jockey Michael Hackett in partnership with Parkes trainer Sharon Jeffries, Way To Divine ran out the 1600 metres strongly to win the Forbes Shire Council Benchmark 50 Handicap.
When the leader dropped out quickly 700 metres from home, Way To Divine (Jacob Stiff, $2 to $1.85 favourite) took control and won by almost two lengths from Cobar stayer Bellman (Michael Heagney, $8.50) and Himeros (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $4.60).
Owned and bred by Simone and Steve Beattie from Condobolin and trained at Cowra by Michael Lynch, Devil’s Reach (Ken Dunbar, $13) finished strongly from well back to beat Don’tdoubtdagoose (Jess Del Frari, $7) and Meldirer (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $8) in the BWR Accountants Maiden Handicap.
A recent addition to the Melissa Harrison stable at Forbes after two starts in Victoria, the three-year-old filly Dontdoubtdagoose held on well for second after taking the lead mid race.
The now six-year-old Quasimoto has presented Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm with plenty of problems since displaying high promise as a juvenile but was back in winning form in the 1100 metres Peter Maher Shearing Services Class One Handicap.
Well ridden in the lead by successful apprentice Zoe Hunt, Quasimoto ($3.20 equal favourite) raced to a convincing two lengths win over Elderberry Wine (Glenn Cahill, $4) and the strong-finishing Symphonite (Jess Del Frari, $3.20 equal favourite).
Coonamble; Sunday, October 11
A consistent placegetter in central west and western area feature races, the seven-year-old gelding Green Run has broken through to win a major country event, the $75,000 QUBE Agri-Big Dance Eligibility-Coonamble Gold Cup.
Owned by a group of racing identities mainly from Walgett and trained at Dubbo by Dar Lunn, Green Run won the 1600 metres Cup on Sunday in front of a very big crowd when racing returned to Coonamble after a lengthy break as committee members spent countless voluntary hours renovating the track.
Jacenza led the cup field with Reset The Jazz from the high profile Hayes stable at Euroa in Victoria being given a nice run tracking the pace makers by Dubbo jockey Kody Nestor who won the 2025 Coonamble Cup on the Hayes trained Justadeel, while Green Run settled back in the field.
Reset The Jazz faded in the straight as Green Run ($12) well ridden by Jenny Duggan, produced a strong run down the outside to win by a half length from Micro Mikki (Clayton Gallagher, $4.80) and the fast finishing Cuban Cigar (Shannen Llewellyn, $2.60 to $2.35 favourite) while the reformed barrier rogue Egyptologist ($51) was a creditable fourth.
For trainer Dar Lunn it was a big week as his prolific winning sprinter Elson Boy had won the previous Monday at Warwick Farm.
Dubbo-based Brett Robb who trains Micro Mikki had earlier won the 1200 metres Keady Family Crystal Sprint with Poisen Point which had won the 2026 Western Area Country Championship Qualifier at Dubbo and finished fourth in the final at Randwick, when coming from last on the home turn in a field of 16.
Owned by Brian Barton with family and friends mainly from Louth, Poisen Point (Izzy Neale, $2.80) travelled third on the rails and when clear accelerated to win the Crystal Sprint by nearly a length from Crook (Zoe Hunt, $3.90) and Marnoo (Serg Lisnyy, $101).
Starting at huge odds ($71) when winning three starts back at Mudgee, News Bound at $31 again upstaged much more fancied runners when winning the 1400 metres Futurity Pastoral -Baradine Cup for an extremely happy Dubbo trainer Natalie Pearce.
From back in the field, News Bound (Kody Nestor) swooped on the outside to gain a five-way photo finish decision over Mariota (Serg Lisnyy, $11), Moon Zone (Zoe Hunt, $10) , Talakai ($1.80 fav.) and Lang Park.
Reared at Coonamble, Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm has a big following when returning home for race meetings and it was a popular result when Media Spin won the 1600 metres Woodhams Petroleum-Paragon Pastoral Class One and Maiden Showcase Plate.
Trained by Clint Lundholm for Michael Denison from Coonamble and well ridden by apprentice Zoe Hunt, Media Spin ($6) led throughout to beat Italian Made (Clayton Gallagher, $1.95 favourite) and Grey Belief (Mikayla Weir, $31) in a close finish.
Dubbo based trainer Connie Greig is noted for the clever placement of her horses and after Noble One had won at Geurie Picnics and Enngonia non-TAB meeting and been placed at Come-By-Chance Picnics, she stepped the seven-year-old gelding up to TAB company at Coonamble.
Supplying the quinella for Connie Greig, Noble One (Mikayla Weir, $21) came from well back to beat stablemate Ichika (Izzy Neale, $19) and Tralee (Jacob Stiff, $6.50) in the 1600 metres Nalder Family Showcase Class Three Handicap.
Starting the ball rolling for Dubbo trainers, Paul Clisby won the 1100 metres Coonamble Tyre Service/Swanny’s Foods Maiden Showcase Plate with Sleek ‘N’ Style.
After an impressive debut when third at Dubbo, Sleek ‘N’ Style (Grant Buckley, $7.50) led all the way to beat French Riviera (Mikayla Weir, $4 favourite) and Zoysia (Kody Nestor, $21).
The other winners were the Rod Northam, Scone-trained Rising Fortune (Reece Jones, $1.95 favourite) in the 1300 metres Nutrien Super Maiden Handicap and Big Lon (Liam Riordan, $3.30 to $2.90 favourite) from the David Hatch stable at Tamworth, in the 1100 metres Terminus Hotel-Dubbo City Toyota Class Two Handicap.