The annual Bedgerabong Picnic Races have long been a favourite haunt of racegoers region-wide and that won't be any different in Saturday's centenary meeting, celebrating 100 years of racing at the Lachlan Valley track.
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Tempted by the chance to be a part of history by winning a race at the centenary meeting, multiple premiership winning trainers Trevor Sutherland from Wagga Wagga and Rodney Robb from Nyngan are bringing strong teams.
Their starters in the $7,500 Wallace Bulk Haulage - Western Tree Care Bedgerabong Picnic Cup (1400 metres) will be Lulu’s Destiny, trained by Robb, and the Sutherland-trained Tearful Kitty.
Robb is gunning for his third straight Bedgerabong Picnic Cup after wins from Security Code and Lulu’s Destiny, while Sutherland has been equally as successful in the area, winning the last two Forbes Cups with Gentleman Max and Willy White Socks.
Sutherland and Robb have achieved some remarkable results over recent seasons.
At the annual Carrathool meeting in 2017, Sutherland trained the program, all six winners on the day while he has twice won the famous Wellington Boot with Sin Sin Sin and Power Alert, and won the Southern Districts Racing Association Premiership four times.
Robb won five races at Trangie Picnics in December and at the following Picnic meeting had four winners at Geurie.
The $50,000 Picnic Championship at Dubbo was inaugurated in 2017 and Robb has won both stagings to date, with Security Code and Austin.
Last year the Rob- trained Lulu’s Destiny won the Bedgerabong Picnic Cup from Spinning Dawn and Cyclone Andy and at the two starts since resuming from a spell has run very good races at Wellington and Dubbo.
Maddison Wright, based at Moruya on the far south coast, rode Robb’s four winners at Bedgerabong last year and will again ride Lulu’s Destiny in the Cup on Saturday.
Seven-time winner Tearful Kitty ran third at Tumbarumba last week and will represent Sutherland in the Cup with former professional jockey and now successful Picnic rider Jody Hughes in the saddle.
Wollartant, from the Justin Stanley stable at Narromine, looms as a big chance in the Cup and will be ridden by John Wilson, who is making a comeback to race riding.
Another likely to be well fancied in the betting ring is the bold frontrunner Our Sarastro trained at Dubbo by Connie Greig.
As usual the Clearview Bracelet (800 metres) has attracted several noted speedsters including the flying Gillie Mooch, trained by Stanley.
Ricky Blewitt, the Premiership winner on the NSW Picnic circuit last season, will ride Gillie Mooch.
Benno’s Boy from the Sutherland stable is a remarkably tough galloper with 15 wins and 35 placings from 128 starts.
Bedgerabong racecourse is in magnificent condition and each year when visitors arrive from around Australia to the iconic meeting they regularly express amazement at the presentation of the beautiful venue for racing.
Amongst the big crowd at the 100th anniversary are likely to be former jockeys from Forbes who have ridden a Bedgerabong Picnic Cup winner, including Tom Molloy, Danny Molloy and Chris Davie.
The first at Bedgerabong jumps at 1.40pm.
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