Emma Pritchard

Northern Rivers trainers and jockeys enjoyed plenty of success at the Clarence River Jockey Club’s (CRJC) recent race meeting on April 21.

With the surface rated a Soft 7 and the rail out 3m, 84 horses including 17 trained on the track, took part across the eight-race program.

After recently riding his 1000th winner at Muswellbrook, local hoop Ben Looker quickly added win number 1001 to his growing tally, piloting the Matthew Dunn trained galloper Head Up High to victory in Race 1, the Kensei Club Closing Soon Benchmark 66 Handicap over 2220m.

One of the well-tried runners in the six-horse field, Head Up High gave his backers cause for concern when the six-year-old gelding was under hard riding by Looker at the 600m, but the tenacious galloper dug deep in the home straight to win by 1.1 lengths from Rahaan and Arctic Wolf.

“It was a good win, hopefully it will give him a bit more confidence,” Looker said after returning to scale.

After winning Race 2, the Book A July Marquee Class 2 Handicap over 946m with his promising three-year-old filly Palawa Kani, Lismore trainer Daniel Bowen acknowledged while Northern Rivers trainers have been through a rough time lately following two major flooding events, everyone has been “knuckling down and having a dig.”

“This makes it all worthwhile,” he added as Palawa Kani returned to the mounting yard.

After Casritz and Our Memah were scratched at the barriers prior to the start of Race 3, the Westlawn Finance Maiden Plate over 946m, Grafton trainer John Shelton went searching for his first winner of the day but had to settle for second after his well fancied runner Awesome Miss ran a bold second on debut for his stable to hot favourite Bow.

But Shelton didn’t have to wait long before welcoming his first winner back to scale when his short priced favourite Cabsav won the feature event on the program, Race 8, the Brushgrove Cup Calcutta 28 April Class 1 Handicap.

Jumping smartly from the barriers in the 1181m event, Cabsav settled on the speed for jockey Luke Rolls, who had recently returned to the sport following an injury induced lay off and strode clear to win by 2.3 lengths from a gallant Portafortuna and Door Into Summer. 

“He’s been knocking on the door,” Shelton said of his charge following the race.

“He just does a few things wrong and wobbles around down the straight.

“But he deserved that win.

“He drew away from them in the end.”

The winning jockey agreed.

“He’s probably been getting beaten under his own accord lately,” Rolls added.

“John said just ride him hands and heels and keep him straight.

“I did that, and we got the job done.”

 The CRJC will hold their next race meeting on April 29.