Apprentice Ben Osmond posted his first Saturday metropolitan winner when he piloted Hellavadancer to victory in the 1400-metre benchmark 78 for fillies and mares at Rosehill last Saturday for his master, Newcastle trainer Kris Lees. 
With the mare revelling in the soft conditions, Osmond settled her one out and one back before looming up to challenge at the 200-metre mark. 
After hitting the front, Hellavadancer ($7) held off the late-closing Nanshe to win by three-quarters of a length, with the runner-up’s stablemate Sequestered running on well from midfield for third, a nose away. 
“She seemed to travel a lot better (than last start, when third in the same class over the same course a fortnight earlier),” Osmond said. 
“She went through her gears a lot more when I asked her, which was probably due to the softer track. 
“It was good to get my first Saturday win for Kris,” he added. 
Lees was quick to praise his apprentice. 
“He’s a hard worker who does his homework. During the week he comes down here to ride for Chris (Waller) so he’s getting his chance and he’s making a good fist of it.” 
As for Hellavadancer, Lees said: “Because she’s going so well we might give her a chance in stakes company. We’ll try and enhance her value at some stage.” 
The listed Mona Lisa Stakes at Wyong next month or the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes at the mare’s home track loom as possible targets.
Roma a stunner
Another benchmark 78 on the Rosehill card to fall to a provincial stable was the last, the 1400-metre TAB Handicap, where Roma Avenue ($31) caused a boilover for Wyong trainer Sara Ryan.
With Reece Jones aboard, Roma Avenue defeated Chris Waller-trained favourite Noble Conqueror by a long neck with High Blue Sea a similar margin away in third place. The winner paid $38 the win and $10.50 the place on the NSW TAB.
‘Learner’ shows plenty
Scone co-trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich look to have a promising prospect on their hands after the win of Intervarsity in last Saturday’s Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill.
Ridden by James McDonald, Intervarsity ($4.40) finished strongly down the centre of the track to win drawing away by a length and a quarter from Super Norwest with favourite Lisztomania, who also charged home late from well back in the field, three-quarters of a length away in third place. 
“She (Intervarsity) needs plenty of room,” Messara said. “She was cluttered up and never really got any galloping room at all last start so it was nice to see her win today. She’s a progressive mare.”
McDonald described Intervarsity as “a big gangly mare” but with “plenty of ability”. 
“Right now it’s all about learning, helping her into a comfortable rhythm so she can finish off. I gave her a bit of room and she did the rest.”
Sky in cup romp
Local trainer Allan Prisk dominated last Saturday’s Cobar Picnic Cup meeting, with three of the six winners inclduing Dancing In The Sky in cup.
Ridden by Ricky Blewett, Dancing In The Sky took the 1700-metre feature by nearly four lengths from the Connie Greig-trained Valadyium with another Greig-trained galloper, Eaglesaurus, a half-length away in third place. 
Zara Lewis fared best of the jockeys on the day with a winning double. 
At Narrandera the same afternoon, Wangaratta trainer Andrew Dale and apprentice Brittany Button combined for a double while Billy Owen also rode two winners. 
The meeting scheduled for Parkes the same afternoon had to be abandoned due to the condition of the track following heavy rain, the same fate befalling Bathurst Monday.
Two for Tone
Local trainer Tony Ball did best at Taree last Friday, winning two races including the feature Hopkins Livermore Cup (1405m) with Run Rory Run ($4.60), ridden by apprentice Leanne Boyd. 
The winner scored by 2¼ lengths from the favourite, Baltic Coast, with Toomuchinformation three-quarters of a length away in third place. 
At Tamworth the same afternoon, Ben Looker and Braith Nock shared the riding honours with a double apiece. Nock’s two winners were both for local trainer Cody Morgan. 
Fee looks a find
Goulburn trainer Danny Williams might have another decent prospect on his hands following the win of Exit Fee ($3.60) in the $50,000 Super Maiden (1210m) at Moruya last Sunday.
Ridden by Nick Heywood, the new-season three-year-old scored by a length and three-quarters from Invade And Conquer with warm favourite Master Reilly a further length and a quarter away in third place. 
Exit Fee led all the way at Moruya, coming off a debut placing at Forbes where he missed the start and raced wide.
The following race, the 1435-metre Tomakin Sports & Social Clubs Cup, saw the Rob Potter-trained Canberra mare Laurel Hill ($6.50) win by a length with Damon Budler in the saddle. 
Nick Heywood took riding honours with a winning treble while Quayde Krogh rode a double for the Joseph/Jones/Jones training team.
Coming up
Murwillumbah takes centre stage this Friday, with the $70,000 Murwillumbah Cup to be run over 1550 metres. 
Sunday is cup day at Goulburn, with the feature over 1400 metres and worth $200,000. 
Both cup races are qualifiers for the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on November 5, with the first two horses across the line in each gaining eligibility. 
The Goulburn program will also feature the $50,000 Guy Walter (1300m) for fillies and mares, named in honour of the late Goulburn boy Guy Walter, a Hall of Fame trainer famous for his ability with fillies and mares. 
Sunday is also cup day at Narromine, with the feature over 1600 metres. 
Saturday’s action includes three country meetings, at Tuncurry, Berrigan and Bingara, where it’s cup day, with the feature over 1300 metres..