GREGOR MACTAGGART
HORSE RACING
By GREGOR MACTAGGART
MOE played host to the Local Cups and Community Race Day on Sunday.
The annual day was headlined by the running of seven country cups, representing seven towns in the Central Gippsland region.
Picture perfect conditions attracted racegoers, who did not have to wait too long for what would be the day’s most dominant winner.
Arctic Stone belied her $11 starting price with an emphatic three-length win in the Moe Refrigeration Churchill Cup (1628m).
The four-year-old daughter of Nicconi was ridden by Irish jockey Robbie Downey, who sealed a first Cup success with his fifth win since relocating Down Under.
Jockey Beau Mertens enjoyed a successful afternoon with a riding double in the space of 40 minutes.
Mertens produced an inch-perfect ride to get The Midnight Shift home in the Morwell Bowling Club Morwell Cup (2447m).
The Rating 58 event proved a battle of the fittest with the Clayton Douglas-trained charge edging out Earl of Kendal by a nose, with Bequester a further short half-head away.
Gold Ollie ($7) was a stylish winner of the Natures Cargo Yarragon Cup (1628m).
The Darryl Blackshaw-trained charge is always tough to beat when in Rating 58 company and so it showed as he rattled home to beat Little Richie Turf ($21) by 1 ½ lengths.
Favourite backers went home happy after the well-supported Bush Christmas ($2.50fav) won the Ladbrokes Warragul Cup (1217m).
The success continued a good recent run for trainer Brian McGrath and jockey Matthew Cartwright, who tasted victory at Moonee Valley two days prior aboard Yulong Command.
Another jockey in a good run of form is Latrobe Valley product Jason Benbow, who combined with trainer Kasey Wilson and Magic Drum to take out the LV Drafting Yallourn North Cup (1017m).
The win was the first of the career for the four-year-old gelding by Magic Albert, owned by Wilson.
The John Kerr Real Estate Trafalgar Cup went back to Cranbourne as Mystery Eclipse ($3.30fav) held off Collison in the 1117m contest.
Mark down Top Honours as a horse to follow after he produced a good effort to win the Merchant Family Butchers Newborough Cup (1217m).
A three-year-old from the Ken and Kasey Keys stable, Top Honours ($4) beat home Tipungwuti ($4.20) in an event that promises to be a good form race.
Ben Allen rode Top Honours to score what was his first win from seven starts, having previously finished second at Mornington and Cranbourne at the back end of last preparation.
