THE Peter Bloomfield-trained Rod's Bid took out the Tom Mulholland Memorial Cup at Dubbo Turf Club on Sunday as local racegoers paid tribute to a number of former racing favourites.
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Mulholland was one of the most well known and well respected local trainers and after passing away last January the Dubbo Turf Club honoured him with a race, won for the first time by the Todd Howlett-trained Canny's Choice.
This year it was Scone-based Bloomfield who won the event as Rod's Bid ($4.60) charged home to edge out Slate's Edge ($2.60 fav.) by a neck and Graham Holley, one of the owners who was in attendance, said it was a special win at a track his team always enjoys visiting.
"We really enjoy coming to Dubbo and it's a pleasure to deal with everyone here and we were fairly confident we could win this today," he said.
"She went well at Newcastle and put the writing on the wall there."
Rod's Bid finished fourth in Newcastle last month following on from a win at Quirindi and yesterday she tracked the early leaders before kicking well down the home straight.
"On the corner I thought that was it but the favourite (Slate's Edge) was going to be hard to beat," Holley said after the win.
"But the pace suited us, it fell right into our plans with the fast times and it was a perfect ride."
On a day with races also honouring the memories of Reeve Wheeler and Stephen Wallace, the first two races were both won by jockey Daniel Northey.
On board Holy Opera ($8) for trainer Rodney Northam in the opening Uncle Pete's Toys Maiden Plate (1000m), Northey got home two lengths ahead of Whispadash (Ken Dunbar, $4.20 fav.) while Octajenn (Tiffany Jeffries, $10) was third.
In the second, the Dubbo RSL Memorial Club Memorial (1300m), Northey and Delago Glenn ($10) just got home by half-a-length from Maldicente (Anthony Cavallo, $10) with Bonn Honour (Jeff Kehoe, $12).
Local trainers tasted success in the third with the Garry Lunn-trained All For Kicks taking out the Rices Back 'A' Bourke Cordials Maiden Plate (1600m) in a thrilling finish.
After being far from contention as they rounded the bend, All For Kicks ($3.40) flew home and edged out Trust Me Bill (Jeff Kehoe, $6) by a nose.
"I couldn't really see if she'd won but I knew she was coming home with momentum and it was a good win because we gave everyone a big start," Lunn said after the win.
"I was getting a bit worried because she was a long way back, it would have been about 12 lengths but she got them quick and kept going and showed she can run 2000m."
Gosses Bluff finished third for trainer Craig Martin, three-and-a-half lengths behind the two leaders.
