Ashley Boyd was following in some famous footsteps when he strode out to mount Free Ticket prior to the running on Saturday of the 1400 metres Robinson Grain Tottenham Picnic Cup.
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Free Ticket, the previous Sunday, had been ridden by superstar jockey Hugh Bowman when finishing fourth in a Benchmark race at the Mudgee Cup TAB meeting.
Bowman, the day after yet another win on champion mare Winx, had made a rare visit to a country meeting and rode Free Ticket for his parents Jim and Mandy Bowman who part own the six-year-old brown gelding.
“Free Ticket was ridden last start by the best jockey in the world and today is being ridden by the fattest jockey in the world," quipped Boyd.
Boyd was of course exaggerating about his weight as even under the higher scale at the picnics he still made the 65.5kg handicap for Free Ticket.
The Emma Gill, Gulgong trained Free Ticket was brilliantly ridden by Boyd who obtained a good position behind the leaders.
In front turning for home, the strongly supported Dead Reckoning (Michael Hackett, $2.80 to $2 favourite) was overtaken and beaten a length and a half by Free Ticket ($6) with Collins Street (Ricky Blewitt, $17) running home well for third.
Winning trainer Emma Gill (née Telfer) was a talented apprentice jockey with 49 wins to her name while she has now recorded three wins as a trainer.
Michael Hackett, runner up in the Cup on Dead Reckoning, had earlier kicked home a winning double for Parkes trainer Sharon Jeffries on Maria Elisa and Fasfer.
A newcomer to the Jeffries stable, Maria Elisa ($3.50) led most of the way to win the Tottenham Hotel Class 3 Handicap (800 metres) while Fasfer ($2.30 fav), in the Maiden Plate (1000 metres), set the pace before clearing out to score by five lengths.
Another all the way winner was former Queensland galloper Excelcat ($1.70 favourite), now trained at Nyngan by Rodney Robb and ridden by Maddison Wright in the 1000 metres Open Handicap.
Patiently ridden by Michael Wade, the seven year mare Getting Ready was a popular winner for well liked Forbes trainer Wendy Baker in the 1200 metres Goodsell Machinery Class 2 Handicap.
From near the tail of the field,Getting Ready ($5.50) produced a stout finish to beat Sikum (Michael Hackett, $3.80) by a length with over four lengths to Amare (Ricky Blewitt, $6).
Now the winner of 4 races from 72 starts, Senoritaville was a good result for bookmakers when taking out the final event, the 1400 metres Class B Handicap, after a nice ride by Gilgandra based Michael Gray.
Trained at Cootamundra by Debbie Prest, Senoritaville ($15) enjoyed a cosy run before finishing best to account for Spud (Steven Kehoe, $12 to $8) and Toorak Beauty (Michael Wade, $17).
Sixteen year old Steven Kehoe, the son of well known jockey Jeff Kehoe, was riding at his first meeting and was responsible for a good front running ride on the Craig Tyack, trained Spud.
Under drought conditions, Tottenham racecourse very well presented and the outstanding committee was rewarded with a big crowd.
Racing on Saturday at Broken Hill (St Pats meeting) and Crookwell Picnics and on Sunday at Bathurst (TAB).