The association with horse racing in the central west runs deep in the Molloy and Parsons families and two of the trainers from the younger brigade, Andrew Molloy and Danny Parsons, each had a winner at their hometown track at Cowra on Saturday.
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Trained by Andrew Molloy, the aptly named Just A Flash sped from the barriers and established a handy lead by the home turn in the Class 1 Handicap (950m).
Ridden by Cowra jockey Eleanor Webster-Hawes, Just A Flash ($3.50 to $2.50 favourite) was untroubled in an impressive three lengths win over the Dubbo-trained Dream Project (Mathew Cahill, $14) And Madam Ruby (Tiffany Jeffries, $21).
Trained by Frank Hayes, Dream Project scored the handy second after a win at Mudgee earlier this preparation.
After a promising second on debut at at Bathurst on Anzac Day, the Danny Parsons-trained Hez Arrived showed further improvement when taking out the Maiden Handicap (950m) in style on Saturday.
From a wide barrier, Chelsea Ings settled her mount behind the leaders and Hez Arrived ($2.70 fav.) ran home strongly to account for Alotafox (Michael Heagney, $3.40) and Spicy Mo (Ken Dunbar, $51).
Damon Budler, at 36, is one of the oldest apprentice jockeys in Australia and on Saturday he achieved a career first win at his 13th ride when successful on the Ron Weston and John Nisbet-trained Denman Diva in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1100m).
Originally from South Africa, Budler had been riding trackwork at Canberra for several years before deciding to take up an apprenticeship.
Denman Diva ($4 fav.) shared the lead then kicked clear to win by over a length from Selinora (Michael Heagney, $26) and Say Madam (Ken Dunbar, $8).
Top jockey Mathew Cahill is a master tactician at his home track and at Cowra in the Class 2 Handicap (1375m) he shot Ruby Red Heart to a winning break at the top of the straight.
Not threatened thereafter, the Garry Kirkup-trained Ruby Red Heart ($9) won by nearly five lengths from Thee Jenner (Tiffany Jeffries, $5) and Sinatra (Michael Heagney, $19).
Other winners were the Joe Ible-trained Manhattan Gambler (Michael Heagney, $2 fav.) and Stato (Andrew Banks, $6.50) from the Bruce Cross stable at Warwick Farm.
