Imported galloper and former Melbourne Cup contender Red Cardinal brought up his second win in as many starts for Newcastle trainer Kris Lees when he took out the Sky High Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill last Saturday. 
The ex-Darren Weir galloper hadn’t won for more than two years before taking the Parramatta Cup for Lees last month. 
Last Saturday, the seven-year-old missed the start and settled towards the tail of the field. 
After steadily making up ground, jockey Kerrin McEvoy took his mount to the outside in the straight. 
Red Cardinal ($3.80 favourite) then finished the race off strongly to grab Rodrico, who’d stuck to the fence, at the 100-metre mark, drawing away to win by a length and a quarter. 
“We had a fair idea of how he was going when we first galloped him, especially when he was able to get his toe into the ground,” said Lees. 
“He’s been very fortunate that his two runs for us have been on soft ground, which is a much preferred surface for him. 
“He’s always been a horse that is highly regarded. He ran in two Melbourne Cups on firm ground, now he’s in (work) at the right time.” 
The seven-year-old will probably have his next start in The BMW at Rosehill on March 30 before heading to the Group 1 Sydney Cup at Randwick on April 13. 
The 3200 metres won’t pose any problems for the import. If there’s any rain about, he should prove hard to beat.
Blue wave hits Kembla
The all-conquering Godolphin camp took its good form to Kembla Grange last Friday, taking the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600 metres) for three-year-old fillies with $1.65 favourite Pohutukawa. 
Despite travelling three wide for much of the race, Pohutukawa proved far too strong for her rivals, winning under James McDonald by a length and three-quarters from the fast-finishing Frankely Awesome with Scarlet Dreams third. 
“This is what we wanted to see from her today. I’d say we’ll give her a chance in the Vinery (Stud Stakes) after that. It was a big win,” said trainer James Cummings. 
Trainer Kris Lees was more than happy with the way his Oaks prospect Frankely Awesome finished off the race and announced that she too will have her next start in The Vinery.
In the day’s main support race, the $80,000 Bert Lillye Memorial (1200 metres), Cummings and McDonald combined with Intuition ($2.80 favourite), who held off the late challenge of Albumin to score by a half-length, with Sheriff third. 
It was a big day for the Cummings/ McDonald combination, with the pair combining to win four races on the eight race card. 
Earlier in the day, Kris Lees had won the $50,000 Stayers Cup (2400m) with Fairlight ($7.50), ridden by Jason Collett. 
The four-year-old scored by 2¼ lengths and looks a promising type. 
Dale, Duffy double up
Albury trainer Andrew Dale and jockey Jake Duffy took the honours at Berrigan last Saturday, with a double capped by the win of $2.90 favourite Gagosian in the 1400-metre Finley Autumn Cup. 
The same day at Crookwell, the $10,000 Funny Hill Cup (1400m) went to the Doug Gorrell-trained Southern Gamble, ridden by Maddison Wright. 
Wright was in fine form, riding a winning treble. 
Meanwhile, way out west at Broken Hill, the two main races were the $25,000 Outback Cup (1600m) and the $20,000 Outback Sprint (1100m).  
The cup was went to Owl On The Prowl ($4.60), trained in SA by Jordan Frew and ridden by Kenny Lau. 
Lau was also aboard the winner of the Sprint, Rustydustysunshine ($2.80), trained by Ron Campbell. 
At Ballina, apprentice Olivia Pickering took the riding honours with a winning double while John Shelton fared best of the trainers, also with a winning double.
Dunn the dominator
Trainer Matthew Dunn and jockey Jason Collett dominated Sunday’s Grafton meeting, with the trainer leading in five winners, four of them ridden by Collett. 
Their biggest win of the day came in the $150,000 Country Championship Qualifier, which saw $1.65 favourite La Scopa come with a powerful finish to defeat the Daniel Bowen-trained Queen of Kingston by a length. 
Both are now qualified for the final, to be run at Randwick on April 6. 
“La Scopa got in well at the weights today,” Dunn said. “She is stakes-placed and has won a Highway. She’s a good mare and deserves her spot in the final.”
Black-bookers
I can suggest three to follow from last weekend’s meetings. 
Firstly, the Kris Lees-trained Frankely Awesome, mentioned above.
Secondly, Dashing Ocean — eased down towards the finish by apprentice Leah Kilner when recording an impressive win in the 1000-metre maiden at Ballina. 
The third is the Matthew Dunn-trained We Concur, who scored a 4¼-length win in the 1200-metre Class 1 at Grafton on Sunday. 
One of Billy Wyatt’s horses to follow mentioned in this column a fortnight ago, Victory Vibes, won at Moree last week paying $8.10 on the N.S.W. TAB.
George will be missed
Popular picnic trainer George Wright has died at the age of 54. 
Wright, who was based in Parkes, at one time dominated the points-based Central West picnic trainers’ award, winning it six times in succession. 
He also won the NSW picnic trainers’ premiership on a number of occasions. 
“George was a really good bloke and it has come as a bit of a shock to learn of his passing,” caller Col Hodges told media. 
“He never really had any superstars — the horses he had were pretty average — but George was a master at placing his horses.He’d put his horses on the truck and go anywhere to win a race. 
“He was very popular and will be terribly missed.”