“This is our Melbourne Cup at Taree”. Those were the words said by emotional breeder Peter Cruickshank after Olympic Academy narrowly spoilt a local win in the $80,000 Stacks Law Firm Taree Cup (2000m) before a big crowd at Bushland Drive Racecourse, Taree, last Sunday.
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The 68-year-old welled up when he recalled that the gelding was the last horse Warwick Farm trainer Guy Walter trained for him before passing away.
Olympic Academy is out of a half-sister to the Walter-trained Courts In Session which won about $500,000 for Cruickshank.
Olympic Academy had won a maiden at Gosford before Kris Lees (winning trainer from Newcastle) took over the galloper.
“The Olympics finish tonight but we won today,” he said at the presentation on behalf of a syndicate of mates and his son.
“This win is unbelievable. Winning never gets any better.
“I am so emotional,we just needed this track (rated good),”said Cruickshank,a former major bookmaker in Sydney.”
Five-year-old gelding Olympic Academy ($7) upset a confident plunge ($11 fixed odds early to $4.80) on Get On The Grange, trained at Wyong by Allan Kehoe and owned by a syndicate of Taree-Wingham racing enthusiasts.
Get On The Grange hit the lead coming into the straight and looked the winner 100m out until Olympic Academy, beautifully ridden by Aaron Bullock, came from seventh early to score by a half-length.
Race sponsor Justin Stack at the presentation praised Taree Wingham Race Club’s facilities and said it was an omen that Olympic Academy “got up” at an event “we are proud to be associated with.”
The other feature race, the Taree Kia 2016 Manning Lightning Handicap over 1000m, lived up to expectations in a field of brilliant speedsters.
Coffs Harbour seven-year-old gelding Plateau Gold ($7 to $4.80) grabbed a short head win in 58.19s, one of the fastest for the distance for a long time.
Trainer Jim Jarvis showed his delight by jumping into the air with jubilation after a brilliant front-running ride by Matthew McGuren.
Plateau Gold gave up to 7.5kgs away to his rivals. The win joins other great feats such as the rich Kirby Handicap at the Grafton Cup Carnival and two Bat Out Of Hell wins on the Gold Coast in taking its career of 30 starts for 10 wins and prize money $309,500.
Another Coffs gelding Gunnaza ($6) was resuming from a spell for its second for trainer Peter Roach, with a length to Wyong’s Ice Bucket ($5.50), trained by Kehoe.
McGuren added to his winning treble at Taree’s Friday meeting with a winning double. Four-year-old Newcastle mare Roses Need Rain ($4.60), trained by Lantry, scoring by a half length in the Saxbys 4YO’s and Upwards Maiden Plate over 1000m.
Taree trainer Matthew Robinson unearthed a smart three-year-old gelding when Dubai Sights $17), ridden by Ben Looker, overcame a slow start and rocketed home for a nose win at its first start in a class record in the Direct Charge and Polarmore at Stud 3YO Maiden Plate over 1000m.
Newcastle trainer Paul Perry kept up his good strike rate at Taree with a winning double with three-year-old gelding Eyezoff ($4.40), ridden by Grant Buckley.
