NSW country: Amovatio swoops on cup glory
By Tim Egan, May 3, 2016 - 9:25 AM

Thousands of racegoers who flocked to the picturesque Hawkesbury racecourse last Saturday were treated to a thrilling finish to the Group 3 Hawkesbury Cup (1600m).
The 16-horse field was fanned across the track inside the final 200 metres, with victory going to the fast-finishing Amovatio, who came down against the outside rail. 
It was the ninth win from 35 starts for the Chris Waller-trained gelding, ridden by apprentice Rory Hutchings. 
“I always had a lapful of horse and it was just a matter of when I really wanted to let him go,” Hutchings said. 
“He actually picked them up quite easily near the line.”
Scone next for Beans …
In the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), the Gerald Ryan-trained colt Spill the Beans was sooled straight to the front by jockey Tim Clark and there he stayed, scoring by 2¼ lengths. 
“I was quietly confident,” Ryan said. “He was the best horse in the race and had a good preparation. I’ve always felt he would run the trip.” 
The trainer then announced that the horse would head to Scone for the $400,000 Scone Guineas (1400m) on Saturday week. 
“At Scone, they all meet at level weights, which will suit this colt.”
… and Nancy
The Group 3 Godolphin Crown (1300m) for fillies and mares was won by the favourite, Nancy, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden and ridden by Kerrin McEvoy. 
It was the third win from as many starts at Hawkesbury for the mare, who came along the inside of the track to defeat Two Blue, with Press Report third. 
“We’ve always felt she was a stakes horse,” said Peter Snowden. 
“We came here thinking we’d turn her out after this race, but we’ll think about the Scone Carnival now.”
Hip hooray
Another feature at Hawkesbury was the $101,400 Provincial Stayers Championship Final (2100m), and it was fought out by two imported gallopers.
In a hard-fought finish, Hipparchus prevailed over Duca Valentinois by a neck but winning trainer Chris Waller wasn’t getting carried away with the win. 
“A standard Saturday race in Sydney is worth $85,000,” he pointed out, rejecting suggestions that Hipparchus should tackle the listed Lord Mayor’s Cup at Rosehill this Saturday. 
“His rating is still quite low so it makes sense to keep him in his grade.”
Jockey Brenton Avdulla said Hipparchus had ground out the win.
“I was on the back of Duca Valentinois, but I knew we couldn’t outsprint him, so I took off well before the turn to make him work,” Avdulla said.
‘Startled rabbit’ all the way
The TAB Highway series for country-trained horses continued at Hawkesbury with a $40,000 Class 3 plate (1100m), and Nowra trainer Robert Price took the prize.
Price’s gelding Noble Joey led all the way to score by 1¾ lengths, after which winning jockey James McDonald made an interesting observation. 
“He runs a lot on fear,” McDonald said. 
“I think he’ll be a better horse when he’s ridden in behind them, but today he came out of the gates like a startled rabbit, so I was happy to lead. 
“He’s still learning, but he’s a lovely horse in the making.” 
Price added: “I don’t get carried away as they’re only country Class 3s, but Noble Joey is raw, immature and can only get better.”
Lord to honour Bede legacy
This Friday sees the running of one of the best meetings on the NSW country racing calendar, Wagga Cup day. 
This year, there will be a tinge of sadness attached to the meeting as it will be missing one of its great stalwarts, the late Bede Murray. 
The south coast trainer, who died of cancer in March, had attended every Wagga carnival for more than 50 years and had won every major race at the meeting. 
The Murray name will not be missing from the program, however, as Bede’s son Paul intends taking 13 horses to the meeting, including Gundagai Cup winner Lord De Air, who’ll contest the cup. 
“Dad thought this bloke would make a cup horse and we sat down earlier in the year when he got pretty crook and talked about how to get him there,” Murray said. 
“We knew the Gundagai Cup gets you into the Wagga Cup ballot-free, so he was set for that race and won it. 
“I’ve kept him fresh because he races best like that and he gets into the cup with a nice weight. It would be another plan of Dad’s that has come off should we win it.”

 

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