After scratchings, there may have been only five runners in the $30,000 Massey Ferguson Woodend Cup on Saturday, but a tactically run race produced an interesting finish with four of the runners finishing close together.
Victory went to the $2 favourite Catskill Mountain, ridden by Dean Holland, with 2023 Hanging Rock Cup winner Bannerton ($3.90) a close second, with Secret Sheema third and rank outsider Langworthy fourth. Third favourite Ashy Boy dropped out to finish over five lengths behind the winner.
After overnight rain resulted in a track with a soft seven rating, the day fined up for the nine-event program conducted by Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club. The sun shone for much of the afternoon, much to the delight of many of the party-going orientated crowd.
Langworthy led comfortably at an even pace for much of the 1850m journey, with moves being made from the 400m mark onwards.
Holland moved lightly raced five-year-old gelding Catskill Mountain into a challenging position at the top of the straight, Secret Sheema took an inside run and looked a winning chance, and Neil Farley brought Bannerton down the outside after following the favourite throughout.
Catskill Mountain won his third race from 12 starts, and his second on the Kyneton track.
The Cup winner is trained by Andrew Bobbin, who is located at the Grampians Racing complex near Lake Fyans, not far from Stawell.
Bobbin has been rated as a real up and comer in the racing industry since being granted a licence in late 2020.
Every since he was a boy at Bega he has had ambitions to train horses; a stint at rugby with Illawarra Hawks and later years as an international travelling cameraman delayed his ambitions but he eventually had the chance to work with Ballarat-based trainer Matt Cumani, before deciding to go it alone.
Several well established businesses figures joined with Bobbin, and he attributes the sand base on the 100 acre property as a positive for preparing horses for pre-training and racing.
Long time successful jockey Linda Meech has described Bobbin as a trainer “on the rise”.
Although he was unable to attend the Kyneton meeting, Bobbin was thrilled with Catskill Mountain’s victory. The galloper has only had 12 starts, for three wins, and was also successful at the Kyneton track.
Holland was rewarded for a very good ride, and while he won the Cup, he was narrowly beaten on mounts in three other races.
After the race, Stephen Nankivell, area manager for Massey Ferguson, presented the trophy to connections of the winner.
K&HRRC vice-president Gary O’Meara also extended congratulations, and said it was pleasing to have on-going support from Travis and Alex Young, proprietors of Macedon Ranges Ag Machinery (Massey Ferguson dealers) in Kyneton.
Apprentice Sheridan Clarke took riding honours with a double, scoring aboard Hell Be Coming and the Kilmore-trained Sestilla.
Kyneton trainer Liam Howley produced three-year-old filly Sweet Refuge to win a maiden plate for fillies and mares at her sixth race start.
Sweet Refuge, with Langdon Thoroughbred Racing Park and Ravenswood Prk Racing among the contingent of owners, was ridden by Mitchell Aitken and started at $14 in the 1450m event.
Rudibatootie, a winner at Kerang on Boxing Day for Kyneton’s Michael Jones, finished third over $1450m, and the Marita Lawson-trained San Mauritz was third in the final event on the program.
