RACING: After being sidelined for a year with injury, jockey Nathan Patchett bounced back to win the Pearsons Hardware Ratings 62 Handicap (1100m) on Faux Pas at Coonabarabran on Saturday.
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The well-liked Patchett served the latter part of his apprenticeship with Mudgee trainer Tracey Bartley before moving to Darwin where he had success as a senior jockey.
Shortly after returning to the Bartley stable, Patchett broke his leg in a race fall at Cowra.
Showing he hasn’t lost his nerve, Patchett rode a clever races on Faux Pas at Coonabarabran.
From near last in the big field, Faux Pas ($8.00) finished strongly to score by more than two lengths from Fast Pat ($8.00, Kody Nestor), which had scooted clear in the straight.
A Fast-finishing third was Miss Class Cee ($5.50, Michael McFarlane).
Faux Pas is trained by Garry Bignell at Coonabarabran.
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A highlight for the good-sized crowd at Coonabarabran was the great battle between apprentice riders Clint Lundholm and Kody Nestor in the Coonabarabran Rural Supplies Ratings 77 Handicap (1600m).
Backing up after a handy fourth in the Orange Cup, Canterdown ($2.50, Clint Lundholm) prevailed by a head over Mr Humerus ($2.10 fav, Kody Nestor) with Corso Vannucci ($6.00, Greg Ryan) a distant third.
Canterdown is trained at Coonamble by John Lundholm, grandfather of the jockey.
The sole success for Dubbo stables came when Tom Mulholland-trained King’s Emperor won the Roach’s Hardware Ratings 57 Handicap (1400m).
Ridden by Ken Dunbar, King’s Emperor ($6.00) arrived in the last stride to beat the pacemaker Dawlodge ($4.00, Michael McFarlane) with A Magic Pick ($5.00, Dar Lunn) filling third place.
Other winners at Coonabarabran were Arena Spark ($4.40, Clint Lundholm), Sutton Prince ($1.50 fav, Greg Ryan) and Monocular ($5.00, Aaron Bullock).
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Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb ventured to south-west Queensland on Saturday and won three races at Noorama including the $10,000 Noorama Cup with Michelago.
Ridden by Robbie Faehr, Michelago dwelt at the start but quickly made ground to race outside the leader Desert Star.
Breaking clear in the straight, Michelago ($3.20) set a new track record in beating recent Brisbane winner Cocktail Shaker with Desert Star third.
Robb’s other winners were Dan’s Luck ($2.80, Robbie Faehr) and Darby O’Gil ($2.50 fav, Anna Hozack).
