RACING
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Narromine trainer Lindsey Kennedy breathed a sigh of relief when Benny Blue Eyes led all the way to win the Arthur Spackman Memorial Benchmark 50 Handicap (1600m) on Saturday.
Last week the Kennedy-trained Sergeant Bilko was beaten a short half head by The Hussy at Mudgee on Saturday and the following day, stablemate Benny Blue Eyes was beaten a short half head by Panov in the Mungery Picnic Cup.
Well-handled in the frontrunners role by Kacie Chater, Benny Blue Eyes ($4 fav) won the Forbes race by over a length from Judge Smails (Joe Saiki, $4.20) and Battant Glory (Daniel Pitomac, $5.50).
Former Forbes-based jockey Alison Smith is now a trainer at Orange and her four-year-old mare Arguably Regal came back from the brink of defeat to win the Parsons Family Maiden Handicap (1400m).
After a hard run in the leading division, Arguably Regal (Daniel Pitomac, $3.20) appeared a beaten force halfway down the straight but in a game performance regained the lead to beat the fast finishing Mouret (Greg Ryan, $10.00) by a half-neck with Hello Honey ($2.70 fav) ridden to perfection by Catherine Markwort a length away third.
Sponsored by Danny and Donna Molloy's MBR Clothing and Peter Maher Wool Services the $500 cash bonus was won by Allan McRae from Yass for leading trainer at the meeting.
Apprentice Kristen Smart was aboard both McRae-trained winners Cobbers Lass and Rein Leica Dane.
In a close finish to Allan Coote Memorial Class One Handicap (1100m) Cobbers Lass ($15 into $10) finished best along the inside to score by a neck from Meraflow (Joe Saiki, $13) with Rossa May (Sarah Trebley, $9) a head away third.
Better known as a stayer of distances up to 2400m, Rein Leica Dane (Kristen Smart, $26 into $15) produced a strong run down the outside to win the 1100m Greg Sweeney Memorial Benchmark 50 Handicap from Nikeman (Claire Nutman, $6) and Sacred Words (Daniel Pitomac, $15).
The Peter Clancy, Leeton-trained, Mickey Oh ($3 into $2.40 fav) was headed in the straight but under strong riding from Kody Nestor, came again to beat Pediment (Anthony Cavallo, $3) by a neck in the Allan Bullock Maiden Handicap (1200m).Finishing third was Mr Hughes (Claire Nutman, $5).
The crowd at Forbes on Saturday was double the number at the corresponding 2012 meeting and overall was a big success.
Racing is on at Narromine (Dandy Cup) this Saturday followed by the $40,000 Coonabarabran Cup on Monday October 21.