The cheering started at the top of the straight and continued until Zarhron crossed the line as the winner of the Breakout River Meats Japan Cowra Cup (1200 metres) for an unprecedented fourth year in succession.
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Each year the handicapper allots Zarhron extra weight to carry and for the 2018 running of the feature sprint the eight year old gelding was required to hump 65kg less a 2kg allowance for Dubbo apprentice Chris Williams.
Following the instructions of Cowra trainer Andrew Molloy to perfection, Williams had Zarhron away quickly from an outside barrier and gained a good break on the opposition when heads turned for home.
Holding on strongly under the big weight, Zarhron ($3 favourite) won by a length from Ultimate Chance ( Chelsea McFarlane, $5 ) with the promising Molasses (Mathew Cahill, $4.60) in third place.
Andrew Molloy, the popular Cowra based trainer, has done a great job with the history making Zarhron, owned and bred by Ashley Gilbert from Crookwell. Now the winner of 12 races from 31 starts, and unbeaten on the Cowra track, Zarhron is likely to have the next start in Sydney.
Another galloper attempting to add to an unbeaten record at the track was the Tara and Philippe Vigouroux, Hawkesbury trained Uncle Sugar in the Lachlan Valley Hotel Cowra Cup, 1700 metres. Uncle Sugar won the 2017 Cup however was beaten this year by Illyrian from the John Rolfe stable at Canberra.
Ridden by Michael Heagney,Illyrian ($12) ran home strongly from midfield to take the Cup by a half length from Uncle Sugar (Mathew Cahill, $6) with Orrstar (Carly Frater-Hill, $11) a half length a half length away third after setting the pace.
Veteran owner George Small from Grenfell combined with Cowra trainer Danny Parsons to win the Ronald McDonald House Class 2 Handicap (1375 metres) with Raise A Drop.
Raise A Drop (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $7.50) led for home and fought on gamely to score in an exciting finish from Inch Perfect (Brodie Loy, $4.80) and Can She Kiss (Mathew Cahill. $7).
More success for a local stable when Tinmine (Chris Williams, $9) slipped away rounding the home turn and lasted to win by a half length from Talk Of The Town (Alena Skerritt, $41) and Sonic Girl (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.70 fav.) in the Jamieson’s Joinery Benchmark 55 Handicap,1200 metres. Tinmine is trained at Cowra by Michael Lynch for Ian Eastaway from Grenfell and Brian Witt, formerly from Cowra.
Bathurst trainer Peter.W.Stanley and Dubbo jockey Ken Dunbar continued a successful Association when Catcha Crown ($3) was a runaway winner of the Newhaven Park Maiden Handicap (1200 metres) by over five lengths.
Blue Collar Boy now trained at Rylstone by Greg Hook was a surprise $26 winner of the Dr Geoffrey Sprigge Memorial three years old Country Plate (1100 metres) with Brodie Loy in the saddle.