Wyong-based trainer Kristen Buchanan enjoyed a memorable day last Saturday, with a treble at Port Macquarie and a winner at Randwick.
Buchanan wasn’t at Randwick to see Moonshine Lady, with Koby Jennings in the saddle, score an all-the-way win over 1100 metres. She was busy with her team at Port Mac.
Moonshine Lady was the outsider in the field of eight but the odds never fazed the jockey. “You have to give your horse a chance when Kristen Buchanan is the trainer,” he said. “She does such a good job with her horses.”
Moonshine Lady simply ran her rivals off their legs and never looked in danger of defeat, recording a clearcut win over Lepreezy.
Buchanan’s winners at Port Macquarie were all ridden by non-claiming apprentice Madi Derrick.
Another Banju milestone
Banju was the first horse Scone’s Lyle Chandler trained. He was his first winner, and last Saturday became the stable’s first metropolitan winner.
Banju took out the Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap at Kensington.
The five-year-old had little in running, being trapped three wide without cover for the entire journey, yet after hitting the front 150 metres out he had enough left to defy the challenge of Shen Qui to win by a length.
“He’s a really tough, consistent horse and I thought it was an amazing run to be three wide with no cover and still win,” Chandler said.
Later on the same day the trainer registered his second win for the afternoon when Purple Cup, ridden by James Baker, took out the 1100-metre, benchmark 50 race at Gilgandra.
Renegade claims Cup
Last Saturday’s 1400-metre Inverell Gold Cup was taken out by the Wayne Oakenfull-trained Renegade, ridden by Danny Peisley.
Ashley Morgan rode a treble at the meeting while Madeline Owen snared a double, as did trainer Stirling Osland.
At Gundagai, the main race, the 1400 metres Adelong Cup, was won by Kerry Weir’s Crocodile Cod, ridden by Kayla Nisbet. The winner scored by a half length from Thistledo with Bezazzled third.
On Sunday, Gilgandra hosted the 1600 metres Gilgandra Cup and the 1100-metre Gilgandra Town Plate. Clint Lundholm’s  Notabadidea careered away to win the cup from Ecker Road. Ballast finished third.
Then in the following race, the Town Plate, Superior Witness, trained by Luke Thomas and ridden by Jake Pracey-Holmes, easily defeated Herzogovina, with Bombdiggity third.
Jockeys, Matthew Palmer, Clayton Gallagher and Jake Pracey-Holmes rode doubles.
Owner agrees ...
In my column last week I referred to an email I received from a country trainer regarding the large amount of prizemoney being lost to country racing participants as a result of country meetings being targeted by city and provincial trainers.
An owner sent me an email supporting the trainer’s complaint.
It said in part: “City trainers are dominating meetings within easy striking distance of Sydney. Owners race in the bush for various reasons but the main advantage for me and many others is the ability to race against other like-minded owners on similar budgets and with horses that we have quite often bred ourselves on our own properties.
“Country training facilities are well down on city standards and it becomes frustrating trying to compete on your home track against trainers with million-dollar facilities.
Racing in the country is suffering as a result and will deteriorate further if this situation is allowed to continue.”