The prominent local jockey approached the meeting with great confidence following victory aboard Sniperess at Ballina during the week for Country Championship winning trainer, Matthew Dunn, and success materialised immediately.

Hodder used the early speed of the John Sprague trained gelding, Spirit in the Sky, in the opening event to run rivals off their legs and score an impressive victory by around five lengths over Man and Superman and Volcanic.

This was compounded when her mount in the third race, Queen of Manhattan, was able to finish over the top of Lucky for Some to claim the major prize with placings on Glycine Max and See Me Out capping off a successful day.

Many keen racing students were impressed with the composure exhibited by Qin Yong when the promising young apprentice was able to stay close to the inside and save valuable ground when saluting on Cotton Caper.

Victory was also sweet for popular Coffs Harbour trainer, Brett Bellamy, who trained the quinella in the event when Rich Velvet ran Cotton Caper to a three length second.

Captain's Legend bullocked out of the pack to land an impressive victory in the middle-distance Benchmark 58 event for the Damien Lane and Ben Looker combination while Tis Toby was responsible for a tough victory in the following race.

The son of Primus covered ground on the outside of Mr De Nero for the majority of the trip before hitting the front in the straight and withstanding the finishing runs of Olena and Sheeran.

Armina and Luke Cumberland fought off the challengers of Wewonya and See Me Out to claim the major prize in the Carlton Dry Handicap while Budawang continued to improve his winning strike rate at the Port circuit for local trainer, Tom Higgins, with a strong win down the outside in the penultimate.

Racing concluded successfully for the Margaret De Gonneville stable when Gold Rhapsody was taken straight to the front by Jeff Kehoe and the Strategic Maneuver mare ran rivals ragged when disposing of Makuba and French Command.

Racing was conducted under overcast skies on a heavy but perfectly safe track which played fairly evenly early before providing some advantage to horses making ground down the outside of the track in the straight.

The club would like to acknowledge the valued sponsorship of Prime7, Carlton, Schweppes, tab.com.au, John Oxley Motors and De Bortoli Wines for the assistance provided in staging the program.

Racing continues at Port with meetings scheduled on Friday 17th April which features an eight-event card headed by a Benchmark 66 Handicap over 1200 metres and most other classes catered for.

This will be followed by a further program on the following Friday as racing continues under the stringent Coronavirus protocols with trainers, strappers, jockeys, officials, track staff and essential personnel being the only personnel admitted.

Race 1 - DE BORTOLI WINES CG&E MAIDEN HCP (1110 M)

Gogh Fox was resuming from a short break with a recent barrier trial victory at Beaumont under his belt and the Tony Newing trained gelding attracted the lion's share of betting activity over Spirit in the Sky and the noticeable drifter, Hyperion Star.

With Contest beginning awkwardly and dropping to a conspicuous last at barrier rise, Spirit in the Sky and Hyperion Star began well and cleared out to lead easily from Man and Superman.

Gogh Fox was perfectly positioned by Ben Looker one off the rails in fourth position as the field started to string out when Spirit in the Sky dashed clear on the side of the track.

Belinda Hodder had a commanding lead on the John Sprague trained galloper, Spirit in the Sky, in the straight and the son of Spirit of Boom was able to sustain the margin from Man and Superman, Hyperion Star and Gogh Fox to score by just under five lengths.

Man and Superman held second in front of Volcanic who came from second last early with a strong charge while Hyperion Star battled on well and Gogh Fox yielded ground late.

Race 2 - JOHN OXLEY MOTORS F&M MAIDEN HCP (1110 M)

The weight of money for the Barry Lawrence trained mare, Spirited Belle, promoted the daughter of Pluck into favouritism causing Shezashootingstar to drift substantially with Cotton Caper remaining firm and Sunday Special attracted support.

Qin Yong was able to position Cotton Caper just off the speed behind the early leaders, Spirited Belle, Celia La Paloma and Rich Velvet with Sunday Special continuing to make ground towards the front.

Shezashootingstar began well and was placed in the middle of the pack by Luke Cumberland before many of the riders moved towards the centre of the track approaching the home bend.

Qin Yong didn't panic and continued to make ground underneath the leaders and race towards the front on Cotton Caper with the Mossman filly powering away over the concluding stages to score by three lengths.

Brett Bellamy claimed the quinella when the stablemate to the winner, Rich Velvet, ran home resolutely for second with Sunday Special claiming third down the outside after being wide throughout.

Shezashootingstar battled on well to finish just behind the placegetters while Spirited Belle laboured down the home running to beat only three gallopers home.

Race 3 - TAB.COM.AU CLASS 1 & MAIDEN PLATE (1812 M)

Heavy support for Havana Storm resulted in the Neil Godbolt trained mare being backed into favouritism over Lucky for Some and Angola Miss with a sprinkling of money for Lime and Sugar.

Ben Looker allowed Lucky for Some to dictate terms in the lead from Angola Miss and Queen of Manhattan with Havana Storm well positioned around Lime and Sugar.

This pattern continued with the John Sprague trained gelding, Lucky for Some, leading to the home turn and drifting to the centre of the track as Queen of Manhattan and Angola Miss commenced their runs while Luke Rolls and Havana Storm moved towards the outside.

Queen of Manhattan finished over the top of Lucky for Some with the Tony Newing trained daughter of Lope De Vega scoring by just over a length with Lime and Sugar making up good ground for third while Havana Storm was back in sixth place.

Race 4 - SCHWEPPES BENCHMARK 58 HCP (2018 M)

The scratching of Lady Grande resulted in Eerised being labelled as heavily supported favourite over Mister Maker and Glycine Max with Captain's Legend on the fourth line of betting.

Lobban Dynamite set a slick tempo with the despised roughie clearing out to lead from Eerised and captain's Legend while Glycine Max was midfield on the rails being tracked by Mister Maker.

Liam Blanch and Eerised ground down the early leader, Lobban Dynamite, with Captain's Legend hooking into the clear as Mister Maker and Glycine Max commenced their runs down the crown of the track.

After a short bumping duel with Mister Maker, Ben Looker was able to balance Captain's Legend and the Damien Lane trained gelding cleared out to score well from Mister Maker with Glycine Max rolling well away from the rails to claim third in front of Komachi Force and Eerised.

Race 5 - GREAT NORTHERN BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1210 M)

Tis Toby was the ruling favourite throughout betting operations with a spirited move for the Luke Thomas trained gelding, Dragoneight, while there were long priced moves for Condover Hall and Twelfth Raj.

Tis Toby began well before Geoff Snowden worked underneath aboard Mr De Nero to take the gelding to the front with The Equinator third on the inside of Olena while Twelfth Raj was trapped wide early.

Matt McGuren was able to arrest the lead from Mr De Nero as the field straightened for home with Olena and Twelfth Raj continuing to make ground while Dragoneight was commencing a run after being trapped deep.

Tis Toby began to race clear at the distance marker with the Cathy Chapman trained gelding scoring by over two lengths from Olena with Sheerin making valuable ground late closer to the fence over Condover Hall while Dragoneight failed to fire in the ground.

Race 6 - CARLTON DRY BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1210 M)

Punters took some risks with Armina although the Epaulette mare remained favourite despite the late move for Youwaitandsee while support for Wewonya and See Me Out caused Anacreon to ease.

Luke Cumberland utilised the inside draw to allow Armina to slide clear early from See Me Out and Freedom Park with Wewonya camped off the pace in front of Islamax and P'artie Town.

Armina maintained the lead approaching the home bend with See Me Out hooking to the outside section of the track while Islamax and Wewonya were making ground closer to the rails.

Armina sustained the effort down the middle section of the course and the David Atkins trained galloper was able to score by around two lengths from Wewonya, who finished well on the inside with See Me Out in third place.

Anacreon finished just behind the placegetters while Youwaitandsee was last early and failed to materialise over the concluding stages to beat only one runner home.

Race 7 - CARLTON DRAUGHT BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1210 M)

Just Sizzling was the firm favourite in a wide market over Moana Marie with Sugarland Express and Budawang on the third line of betting in front of Toast and Metre Eater.

Budawang began well and promising young apprentice, Jacob Golden, was content to sit wide away from the early leaders, Named After and Moana Marie.

Sugarland Express, Ilia and Metre Eater were prominent early in front of Just Sizzling while Play School was a conspicuous last at his first run from a lengthy spell after missing the start.

Sugarland Express set the tempo in the lead from Budawang with Moana Marie continuing to make ground in front of Ilia and Just Sizzling as the field approached the home bend.

Jacob Golden made a beeline towards the outside fence as he dashed the Tom Higgins trained gelding, Budawang, to a clear lead in the home straight with the son of Ready's Image able to withstand the finishing run of Dashing Savana to claim the major prize.

Just Sizzling was a creditable third in front of Sugarland Express while Ilia, Toast and Metre Eater failed to flatter over the latter stages of the event.

Race 8 - PRIME7 LOCAL NEWS BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1010 M)

Continued support for French Command resulted in the grand campaigner being backed into $4.60 favourite with confidence around Makuba and Alshahhad causing Gold Rhapsody and Lingalonga Lass to drift noticeably.

Gold Rhapsody began well and Jeff Kehoe worked around the outside to race clear from Makuba and Elite Dubleo with French Command slotting just off the fence to be behind the early speed.

The Margaret De Gonneville trained mare, Gold Rhapsody, maintained the lead approaching the run home with Makuba poised to strike while Elite Dubleo, French Command and Shuswaggi were commencing their runs in front of Alshahhad.

Gold Rhapsody exploded clear at the distance marker and the daughter of Strategic Maneuver raced away to score a comprehensive victory over Makuba and French Command with Hurricane Max running an even event to finish in fourth placing.