John O’Shea’s fine run of form at Dubbo Paceway continued on Sunday as the Bathurst reinsman collected a winning double from the eight-race meeting.
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O’Shea’s first win came in the gig of Little Mojo, a gelding he is building a fine relationship with.
The win in the Ray Tobin Signs Pace (2120m) was Little Mojo’s fourth from seven starts and continues his impressive record.
The three-year-old gelding has now finished in the first two past the post in all but one race so far in his career.
O’Shea and Little Mojo, trained by O’Shea’s sister Maryann, also won at the Dubbo track a week earlier, making it two from two since the gelding returned from 10-month spell.
Starting from gate five as a heavily-backed $1.30 favourite on Sunday, O’Shea and Little Mojo got immediately to the lead and that was how things stayed.
The pace was far from blistering early on, with a first quarter of 66.2 leading race caller Craig Easey to say he could run faster “backwards with thongs on”.
But as they got the bell for home things began to quicken and Little Mojo remained composed out in front.
Arrived In Time ($18.50), driven by Murray Sullivan threatened at one stage during the race but faded late as Little Mojo cruised to a 5.2m win.
Kiss Cam ($11.10) finished second while the Peter Bullock-trained Lorenzo Shannon ($45.40) surprised many punters by finishing third.
O’Shea then had to wait until his fifth and final drive to seal his second win.
O’Shea again led from start to finish, this time with three-year-old filly Elegant Heaven, in the Freechoice and Giftware Pace (2120m) but it was vastly different as he found himself under all sorts of pressure late on.
But the $3.90 chance was able to hold off a fast-finishing Trunkey Emily ($4.50) while Red Vee Dee Dee ($10.80) was third.
Trunkey Emily’s second-placed finish was one of the three times Bathurst reinsman Mat Rue finished second at the meeting.
Local fans had reason to cheer in the TAB App Pace (1720m) with Dubbo pacer Mister Jogalong scoring a convincing 6.6m win.
The win continues a good run of form for the four-year-old gelding, who has now won five of his last eight starts.
Kurt Lew guided Mister Jogalong ($1.40 favourtie) to a convincing win, ahead of Boyzinblue ($25.30) and Courage To Rule ($3.80).
The biggest shock of the afternoon came in the TAB.com.au Pace (1720m) with Robert Clifford driving $36.90 chance Battle Charms to the firs win of his career in his sixth start.