So popular are the annual Gulgong races, bitterly cold winds, sleet and rain on Sunday, June 8, did not deter a remarkably big crowd from attending the meeting.
The roll-up also of bookmakers was arguably the most for several years at a central west meeting and unfortunately for them the punters generally finished well on top with some bookies describing their results as “disastrous”.
Less than a week before Gulgong the Brett Robb trained Rothgate had beaten a big field at Warren and that good form continued in the 1200 metres Robert Oatley-Gulgong Cup.
Raced by Hugh Cameron and family, Rothgate (Shayleigh Ingelse, $3.80 equal favourite) took the lead from Dupenny then safely held the strong finishing The Great Armada (Shannen Llewellyn, $4.60) by over a length while Prince Of Sepang (Brontë Simpson, $5) was an honest third.
Leading apprentice Shannen Llewellyn won the final event aboard Shaddup on Saturday at Parkes and the next day won the opening two races at Gulgong, on the Steve Sampson, Cessnock trained Starinion ($2.10 favourite) and on the debut maker Chicken Legs ($8) trained at Bendemeer by Jane Clement.
The six-year-old grey gelding Interventionist looked magnificent when parading and raced accordingly in the 1800 metres Benchmark 58 Handicap.
Ridden a treat by Ken Dunbar, the Michael Mulholland, Dubbo trained Interventionist ($6) from midfield burst through the pack at the top of the straight and won by more than two lengths from fast finishing stablemate Shamister (Kath Bell-Pitomac, $7) and Sweet As A Kiss (Shannen Llewellyn, $3.20 favourite).
To the cheers of the locals, the Brett Thompson, Gulgong trained Jade Division ($3) ridden by Gulgong jockey Jake Pracey-Holmes, led for home and cleared out to win the 1200 metres Gulgong Bowling and Sporting Club Class Two Handicap by four lengths from Nest In The Hills (Shannen Llewellyn, $9) and Love And Light (Ken Dunbar, $2.70 fav.)
Surprisingly, a very bad result for bookmakers was the Michael Denison, Coonamble trained outsider Emphatic Bel which gave apprentice Shayleigh Ingelse a Gulgong double when winning the 1000 metres Benchmark 50 Handicap-Garth and Viva Fletcher Memorial Cup.
Ultra White (Zoe Hunt, $5) chased Emphatic Bel (Shayleigh Ingelse, $26 to $21) all the way down the straight but was beaten by nearly a length with Gold Smiles (Shannen Llewellyn, $5) filling third place.
