Bathurst jockey Will Stanley rides Risk And Reward to victory in the Picnic Trophy Handicap

Riding for Parkes trainer Sharon Jeffries for the second time in his career, Stanley got the job done on the $2 favourite.

Stanley kept the big, strong going Risk And Reward well balanced, leading throughout aboard the seven-year-old gelding.

It saw Risk And Reward score by over a length from Bandahara (Brent Evans, $4.40) and Equilibrium (Leandro Ribeiro, $5.50).

Stanley, who made his debut at the Bedgerabong Picnics in February, had earlier ridden a pair of seconds at the Wellington meeting.

It took a late burst from favourite Brooklyn Star to deny the Stanley ridden Kiwicod ($6.50) in the Class B Handicap (1,100 metres), the favourite swooping down the outside to win by less than a length.

Stanley also rode the Paul Theobald, Bathurst trained Tiger King ($5.50) to second in the maiden plate (1000m).

Stanely now boasts eight winning rides and 28 placings from 74 starts.

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Meanwhile, connections of Nepenthes face an anxious wait to see if their five-year-old mare makes the $50,000 Picnic Championship Final at Coonamble after her impressive win at Wellington.

The top 12 point-scorers from races on the picnic circuit automatically qualified while a group of five, including Nepenthes, finished on the borderline just one point back.

Those will be waiting for any withdrawals in order to make the final, which is run over 1400m at the Coonamble Gold Cup meeting on October 10.

Patiently ridden by the Wellington-based Michael T. Johnson, Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm's Nepenthes ($2.20 favourite) settled well back before finishing strongly to win the Class B Handicap (1600m) from Ballet Ticket (Leandro Ribeiro, $3.60) and the leader Babylon Warrior (Ricky Blewitt, $4.40).

Trained at Mudgee by Bob Howe, Byzantium ($4) and Jarmanagic (Ricky Blewitt, $4) got past leader Attuned (Ribeiro, $2.20 favourite) and fought out the finish in the Trophy Handicap (1000m).

Howe's hope prevailed by a head.

Suited by the 900 metres of the Class 3 Handicap, the Brett Robb-trained Expect A Hero ($2.10 favourite) led all the way when beating Lucky Champion (Anaelle Gangotena, $9) and Valerian (Blewitt, $2.80).

Bred by Lex Crosby from Forbes and raced by Lex and his family including Sally Crosby, Bec Carver, Josh Crosby and Heidi Holland, the five-year-old mare In The Mail in her fifth race start broke through to win the Maiden Plate (1000m).

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