FORMER top Randwick trainer Bob Thomsen's success as an owner and winning doubles to two jockeys and a trainer were highlights at Manning Valley Race Club's TAB meeting at Taree on Monday.
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The beauty of Thomson's win with five-year-old gelding Red Notice ($6) in the McGrath Meats Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1000m is that his son, Jamie, is the trainer from Hawkesbury and it was his first win at the Bushland Drive track.
The Thomsons and other owners are celebrating their good fortune because Red Notice spent a year off with a mystery illness which nearly resulted in the gelding's death.
The Taree win was its third win since recuperating from an abscess on the spine.
Thomson's had plenty of success before retiring seven years ago, multiple top-line winners being Shogun Lodge, Danewin, Slight Chance and Grey Receiver being just a few.
Now he is enjoying being an owner and nurturing his son's progress as a trainer.
Jamie had visits to Taree but never had a winner until Red Notice, by Duporth out of Danewin's Mediator, was given a cosy run just behind the leaders by Gosford jockey Chris O'Brien, before scoring by a neck from Scone's Mr Snowman ($4.60 favourite), trained by Brett Cavanough.
Newcastle trainer Paul Perry kicked off the first of his double with four-year-old mare Dreamfyre ($7), ridden by Bobby El-Issa, in the Kennards Class 1 & Maiden Plate over 2000m.
Perry's son, Nathan, said the mare had always shown a liking for the distance and it was a good win for Camden breeder Mary Jane Healey.
Perry's second winner, three-year-old gelding Jamaican Dream ($1.45), made it two wins in a row at the track in beating Taree five-year-old mare Natural Image ($10), trained by Ross Stitt and given a peach of a ride by Brooke Stower from an outside barrier to just miss by a short, half-head.
"He just fell in but a win is a win," Nathan said of the win for Newcastle apprentice jockey Samantha Clenton.
"I thought he was going to be no good but he keeps improving."
Clenton's second win by a neck was on Newcastle trainer Kris Lees' Red Heat ($3.80) in the Twin Palms Spring Water Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1600m.
Clenton said the four-year-old mare in posting her fourth win from 24 starts was "superior late and will be improved."
Muswellbrook trainer Todd Howlett and jockey Aaron Bullock combined to give MacLeay Hotel owner Jack McIntyre a boost from being in bed with the flu in scoring by just under a length with his five-year-old gelding Magic Beneteau ($7) in the Adrian Owen Equine Vet Benchmark 66 Handicap over 1250m.
Bullock said he got all the favours and at the 600m mark he knew he would win.
Port Macquarie's Typhoon Bonny, trained by Neil Godbolt, was sent out $4.20 favourite but again the outside barrier didn't help, it running fifth.
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