Central Victoria: Mobamba leads the local charge
By Paul Egan, November 30, 2021 - 10:02 AM

Local trainers had a day out at bet365 Park Kyneton on Monday, winning five of the eight races.
Mick Sell got the ball rolling for Kyneton stables, but not for punters, saddling up Mobamba ($81) for a narrow but impressive win in the Hygain 3YO Maiden Plate (1100m).
The Stryker gelding, ridden by Craig Robertson, defeated Palatial Prince ($17) by a half-head.
Mel Sell, representing her husband, said after the race that it had been no secret they’d had a high opinion of the horse.
“His brain just wasn’t in the right space and he’s so immature. He’s still another season away,” she said.
The Sells race the gelding with stable clients. He was having his fifth start.
Patient Alana reaps reward
The following race, the bet365 Racing Refunds Maiden Plate over 1200 metres, saw George Osborne produce Kyokushin ($8) for a first-up win.
The well named three-year-old gelding by Scissor Kick from Classic Approach was patiently ridden by apprentice Alana Kelly, coming from the rear of the field to defeat Boho Miss ($5), thus denying Mick Sell and Craig Robertson a running double.
“All credit to Alana,” Osborne said. “She’s done all the work with this horse. We had a lot of trouble with him early on and she’s been to every jumpout with us.
“We’ve got the horse to settle, get back and find the line and I’m sure she got great pleasure out of it.”
Known for his ability to find a bargain, Osborne purchased the gelding at the 2020 Inglis Classic yearling sale for $10,000. Kyokushin’s owners include former Victorian Premier Denis Napthine.
The gelding gets his name from the Kyokushin school of karate, established in 1964.
Will power
Later on the program, Liam Howley and good mate Jason Maskiell combined to take out the benchmark 58 over 1450 metres with Almighty Will, defeating Crafty Effort ($5) by a half-neck.
The five-year-old Medaglia D’Oro gelding struck a purple patch last prep, winning three from four starts, but has taken time this preparation to strike form.
“He’s hard fit and he looked terrific in the yard today. I was really proud of him,” Howley said. “He’s the stable favourite and we love him so it’s good to see him get the job done on his home deck.”
Formerly trained by David and Coral Feek, Almighty Will has now won five races with two minor placings from his 24 starts.
Lavrovsky all the way
In the following race, the Michael Jones-trained Lavrovsky ($16) led from go to whoa in the bet365 Odds Drift Protector BM58 Handicap (1850m).
Rated beautifully by Jarrod Fry, the six-year-old Zoustar gelding hung on to defeat Davelliom ($12) by three-quarters of a length.
Jones said the gelding had been a work in progress.
“He has had some quirks. He’s his own worst enemy all the time and gets worked up behind the gates, plus he had throat surgery a couple of preps ago,” Jones said, explaining why Lavrovsky had gone more than two years between wins.
Lavrosky was bred at Woodside Park, Tylden, and was passed in at the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale.
The gelding, luckless early in his career, has now won two races with 11 minor placings from 28 starts. 
Star shines
In the last race at Kyneton, the Bob Challis-trained French Star ($11) made it back-to-back victories in taking out the bet365 Protest Promise BM58 Handicap over 1200 metres.
The five-year-old Star Witness mare, giving apprentice Logan McNeil a winning double, defeated the Osborne-trained My Divas ($7) by a length.
Bred and raced by Challis’s long-time stable client Northerly Holdings, French Star has now won three races with five minor placings from 17 starts.
Easy Watch
Kilmore trainer Alicia Macpherson saddled up First Watch ($8.50) for a welcome return to the winner’s list at Yarra Valley on Saturday.
The application of blinkers was the key to the gelding’s turnaround in form.
Ridden by apprentice Thomas Stockdale, the eight-year-old Bel Esprit gelding was a comfortable winner of the United Patroleum 0-58 Handicap over 1200 metres, defeating $3.50 favourite Ping Ping by three-quarters if a length.
First watch is raced by the trainer in partnership with her parents, Phyl and Clive Macpherson, among others.
 It was First Watch’s eighth win from 52 starts. He has had eight minor placings.
Judge rules
Earlier on the Yarra Valley program, the Seymour-trained Judge Jeanine ($4.60 equal favourite) appreciated a drop in class in the bet365 Odds Drift Protector 0-58 Handicap (1500m).
Trainer Stephen Brown applied the tongue tie to the six-year-old Shamus Award mare, who beat Battaglia ($5) by 3½ lengths.
Judge Jeanine, whose previous start was in a benchmark 64 at a Valley night meeting, has now won four races with nine minor placings from her 27 starts.
Wood replaces Brain
Maxine Brain’s successful term as Kilmore Racing Club chair came to an end last week, with former local optometrist Ian Wood assuming the role. 
Wood is well known in the racing industry, having bred and raced many thoroughbreds with his two brothers, most notably Hobart Cup winner Gotta Keep Cool and former brilliant jumper Gotta Take Care, winner of 21 races and more than a million dollars. 

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