Swan Hill trainers and jockeys smashed day one of the 2023 bet365 Swan Hill Cup Carnival yesterday – winning four of the eight races.
And will be lining up with another swag of rides today, looking to do even better.
That includes Nathan Hobson with It’s Maui’s Gold in race three, Upper East Side, Toojay and She’s the Sheriff in race four and Orienzel and Magic Road in the sixth.
Austy Coffey has Simply Sparklez in the fourth, Con Kelly will start Sunset Eagle in the sixth and in the lucky last Heath Chalmers with Spirit de Lune and Jane Duncan and The Stock Route will go head to head.
Jockey Harry Coffey has rides in every race except the second, while Madison Lloyd, the star rider from day one, will be racing in Melbourne.
Yesterday’s absolute highlight was Nathan Hobson’s spectacular success with Yulong Storm in the $150,000 Pooles Golden Topaz over 1200m.
But the carnival got off to a local flyer with Heath Chalmers and Runpukya claiming the first – the $40,0000 bet365 Odds Protector Plate over 1200m, followed by star local jockey Harry Coffey steering Rose Ring to success in the third of the day, the $40,000 Footts Demolition Group Plate over 1200m.
Then in the $50,000 In Memory of Dr Carrol Major (1600m) Con Kelly chimed in with Spanish Snitzel, ridden by Nyah West’s Madison Lloyd for her career first carnival winner.
The apprentice jockey immediately turned that benchmark ride into a dream day when she joined Hobson with Yulong Storm to win the Topaz, the glamour event of the opening day.
Other Friday highlights were Peter Moody’s Line ’Em Up Loui taking out the $125,000 Commercial Hotel VG Elvstroem Classic over 1300m and Horsham-based Paul Preusker landing the trifecta in the $50,000 J Arentz Electrical and Solar over 2400m with Inayforhay, Christmas and Brawl.
