Birdsville is a long way from the central districts of NSW but that’s where Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb found himself at the weekend.
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The iconic Birdsville Cup meeting in outback Queensland has become a pilgrimage for many racing fans and Robb made the trek once again and scored a winning double.
Nordic Red and Jen See See both scored victories, while Dubbo jockey Kody Nestor rode two winners.
Nordic Red ($2 favourite), ridden by Robb's apprentice Clayton Gallagher, won the $12,500 Maiden Handicap (1000m) while Jen See See ($2.40 favourite) was ridden by Nestor and took out the $15,000 Class 1 Handicap (1200 metres).
It continued Nestor’s outback tour after he also rode at Betoota the previous week.
The Dubbo hoop also won the final event of the day on Peritus ($2 favourite) trained by Tod Dawson.
Port Lincoln-based Dawson is the brother of Dubbo trainer Cindy Monaghan.
Sword Fighter ($10), trained at Carinda by Peter ‘Wacky’ Pennell and ridden by Gallagher, earned $3,000 when beaten in a photo finish by the Queensland trained Duke's Delight (Tasha Chambers, $2.50 favourite) in a $15,000 Class 2 Handicap while Dubbo based Ken Dunbar rode three place getters at the meeting.
The winner of the $35,000 Birdsville Cup (1600m) feature was Moore Alpha ($7), ridden by Kayla Cross for South Australian trainer Heather Lehman. It marked the first time in the 134 year history of the meeting a female jockey and trainer combined to win the Cup.