Jockey Rachel King made the most of a last-minute engagement when she piloted Ishikari ($11) to victory for Bathurst trainer Dean Mirfin in last Saturday’s 1400-metre Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap at Randwick. 
“I was actually on an emergency that looked like it wasn’t going to get a run so I was happy when they gave me a good push and I was able to ride her (Ishikari),” King said. 
“She is very quick out of the gates. She did that last start (winning a Class 2 at Orange by 3½ lengths). 
“Watching the replay, she jumped two in front and controlled it. They (connections) said that she’s not the biggest and strongest so to try to get her to take a breather mid-race if possible — if I was controlling it. 
“She was just there on the bridle, just working hard enough within herself and I was a touch worried that she might have slightly overdone it. But credit to her, she was fit and ready to go and she kept finding.”
All good
Another country trainer on the metro winning list last Saturday was Canberra’s Nick Olive, whose three-year-old filly All Adore ($8.50) scored a comfortable two-length win in the 1000-metre benchmark 70 at Eagle Farm under three-kilo claimer Coriah Keatings. 
The Harry Angel filly has now recorded four wins and three minor placings from her eight starts and based on Saturday’s performance should pay to follow. 
Around the traps
Mikayla Weir took the riding honours at Dubbo last Saturday, winning two races including the feature $50,000 Arrowfield Queen of the West (1200m) on the well supported $5 pop Play My Song for Scone trainer Rod Northam.
The same afternoon at Kembla Grange, Jean Van Overmeire, Chad Lever and Rory Hutchings shared the points with a double apiece. 
The previous afternoon saw well backed $2.50 favourite Sarrismo score an impressive 2¼-length win in the $75,000 Orange Gold Cup (1600m) under Andrew Adkins for Sydney trainer Tom Charlton. 
Earlier, the $50,000 Super Maiden (1280m) went to three-year-old filly The Magnet ($2.70), trained at Warwick Farm by Bjorn Baker and ridden by Winona Costin. 
In the following race, the 1000-metre Showcase Sprint, the Pat Murphy-trained Goulburn gelding Aegipan ($12) gave Costin a double for the afternoon, scoring by a half-length over the favourite, Rumours Abound. 
Promising pair
Sunday’s feature at Wagga, the 1800-metre Murrumbidgee Cup, went to the Mitch Beer/George Carpenter-trained Cosmic Lad ($8.50) by a long head from the favourite, Villasaurus. Grant Buckley was the winning rider. 
In the opening race on the Wagga program, a 1000-metre handicap for two-year-olds, $1.35 favourite Jarbardar romped away to a 3¾-length debut win under Jason Lyon for Wodonga trainer Craig Widdison.
Jarbardar, a full brother to Group 2 Silver Slipper winner Straight Charge, looks a bright prospect.
Also in that category is Vantorix, who started a $1.10 favourite in the 1000-metre two-year-old handicap at Grafton the same day.
He scored by a half-length to remain unbeaten after two starts for Port Macquarie trainer Jenny Graham.
Vantorix is also well related, a half-brother to Group 3 San Domenico winner Raging Force, and looks to have been good buying for Graham at $30,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic sale. He’s already earned $40,200.
Vantorix was ridden by Luke Rolls, who shared the riding honours at Grafton with Andrew Mallyon and Dylan Turner.
Both Mallyon’s winners were trained by Murwillumbah’s Matt Dunn including Lofty Macsporran ($2.50 favourite), impressive two-length winner of a $50,000 Super Maiden over 1400 metres.
Lest we forget
This Friday is Showcase day at  Tamworth, featuring the $200,000 Tamworth Cup (1400m), a Big Dance eligibility race, supported by The Jackal, a $50,000 quality open sprint over 1200 metres, and a $50,000 Super Maiden (1000m). 
Saturday sees the Cootamundra Picnic Race Club stage its annual race meeting, highlighted by the 1400-metre Cootamundra Picnic Cup. 
On the same afternoon at Deniliquin the Anzac Day Cup (1600m) will be the main race while at Kempsey the 1250-metre Diggers Cup will take centre stage. 
Nyngan also races on Saturday, with the 1400-metre Anzac Cup the feature, while it’s Soldiers Saddle day at Bathurst. 
Sunday’s meetings are at Narromine for the 1400-metre Diggers Cup and Port Macquarie, where a $50,000 Super Maiden over 1200 metres is sure to attract interest.