By Col Hodges

Well known for their starring roles on the rugby league field, Kieren Hazelton and Terry Fahey as racehorse trainers each had a winner on Saturday, before a big crowd at Gilgandra.

Local trainer Kieren Hazelton, a multiple award winner with the Gilgandra Panthers team, won with Mamelon while the winner for the former NRL and International star and now Dubbo based Terry Fahey was Costas.

Settling well back in the 1100 metres Western Farm Machinery/Happy 50th Birthday John Alchin Benchmark 50 Handicap, Mamelon (Andrew Banks, $6.50) rushed down the outside win by a short head from Nicator (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.30 favourite) with Rupicasso (James Rogers, $20) also trained by Kieren Hazelton, a handy third.

Representing Terry Fahey in the 1600 metres Brophy Memorial and Inland Petroleum BM 50 Handicap, Costas ($14) came from off the pace to beat Pop Power (Will Stanley, $9.50) and All Business (Biiy Cray, $7) in a close finish.

A good quality field contested the feature event the 1280 metres Collie Hotel-Collie Cup with victory going to the Jane Clement, Bendemeer trained Sparks.

Ridden by Jake Pracey-Holmes, Sparks($4.40) ran down the leader Daredevil (Jake Barrett, $7)to score by 3/4 length with Turgenev (Andrew Banks,$5.50 to $4.60) coming from near last for third.

First leg of a treble for Jake Pracey-Holmes was the Brett Thompson, Gulgong trained Hampton Cove ($4.40) which led all the way to beat Tiger King (Jake Barrett, $21) and Bemote (Clayton Gallagher, $1.90 to $1.50 fav.) in the 1100 metres Gilgandra Toyota and Gilmour Engineering BM 50 Handicap.

First up since joining the Cec Hodgson stable at Coonamble, The Big Seal (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.30 to $2.80 fav.) led throughout to win the 800 metres Keith Kilby Memorial and Cooee Tyres BN 50 Handicap from Casan Geal (Will Stanley,$4.80) and the winners stablemate Twyborn Affair (Wendy Peel,$5.50).

According to experienced jockey Michael Heagney, the Greg O’Neill, Nyngan trained Outback Cod was always travelling well in the 1600 metres Johnson’s Family Store and Jason Tate Electrical BM 50 Handicap.

After racing outside the leader Enthralled, Outback Cod ($17) took control to win by a length from Bobby’s Secret (Will Stanley, $6) and Enthralled ( Camille Houlgatte, $8.50).

Other winners were the Cody Morgan, Tamworth trained Cool Ruler (Anna Roper, $1.70 fav.) in the 1000 metres Aqua West Maiden Plate and the Roy McCabe, Bathurst trained Overclassy (Ashleigh Stanley, $6 to $9) in the 1200 metres B & C Coxsedge Memorial and Chandlers Gilgandra Maiden Handicap.

Louth to race on Saturday and Dubbo on Sunday to be followed by Cobar Picnics (Saturday August 19th) and Narromine Cup (Sunday August 20th).