By COLIN HODGES

Coonamble Jockey Club pulled off a coup by having superstar jockeys James McDonald and Hugh Bowman riding at the big meeting on Sunday and they did not disappoint with both landing winning doubles.

McDonald and Bowman are ranked in the the top bracket of riders in the world however they had to share the limelight with 55 year old country jockey Michael Heagney and Dubbo trainer Brett Robb who combined to win the feature race the $150,000 Newhaven Park WRA Country Championship Qualifier with Great Buy.

Brett Robb and Michael Heagney were often part of the team when Brett’s father Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb took horses to faraway meetings such as Kununurra in far north Western Australia, Birdsville in outback Queensland and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

ABOVE: Champion jockey Michael Heagney and Nyngan-born trainer Brett Robb were very pleased to pick up the victory on Sunday.

Brilliantly ridden by Michael Heagney, Great Buy crossed quickly from an outside barrier to set the pace on the inside rail.

Down the straight, Great Buy ($4) safely held the Clint Lundholm trained Amulet Street (Hugh Bowman $3.60 favourite) to score by two lengths with another Lundholm galloper Ferus (Ashley Morgan, $6) three lengths away third while the Brett Robb trained Beau Factor finished fourth in the 13 horse field.

Great Buy and Amulet Street have now qualified to represent the Western Racing Association in the $500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championship Final at Royal Randwick on Saturday 2nd April.

Owners of Great Buy are Brett Robb and Tony Kilmartin while David Ringland and Heather Ringland (Dubbo) and Paul Frampton and Belinda Frampton are the owners of Amulet Street.

A classy ride by James McDonald saw the Cody Morgan, Tamworth trained Impactful ($2.45 favourite) bursting through the pack from midfield to beat the leader Snitzyka (Ashley Morgan, $12) and How’s It Kev (Hugh Bowman, $3.10) in the Swanny’s Foods and Woodhams Petroleum 1600 metres Class 1 & Maiden Plate.

Impactful is part owned by Stewart Rodgers the President of Coonabarabran Jockey Club while Mick Heaney a Vice President of Coonamble Jockey Club is a part owner of Princess Amira the winner of the 1300 metres Conseth Solutions and Batterline Earthmoving Class 1 Handicap for Wyong trainer Damien Lane formerly from Coonamble.

Parked behind the leaders by Hugh Bowman, Princess Amira ($2.15 favourite) arrived in time to beat Dethroned (Aaron Bullock, $18) by a half head with two lengths to the third placed Crazy Wolf (James McDonald, $10) from the Sharon Jeffries stable at Parkes.

ABOVE: One of the closest races on the day, with Princess Amira (back, ridden by VIP jockey Hugh Bowman) just coming out in front of Dethroned (front, ridden by Aaron Bullock).

Aaron Bullock impressed with his very strong riding when he won on the Darren Hyde, Dubbo trained Driving Force ($4.60) and Oakfield Storm ($5.50) trained at Wyong by Kristen Buchanan.

The $200,000 Wellington Boot is on Sunday March 27th and a big field of two year olds lined up for the 1100 metres Preview at Coonamble won by the Lyle Chandler, Scone trained Last Bid Liam ($6) ridden by apprentice Jackson Searle.

The finish of the 1600 metres Dad & Dave Turf & Evergreen Turf Benchmark 66 Handicap had the big crowd roaring as the mounts of the visiting champion jockeys went stride for stride to the line.

Vandangle ($3.60) trained at Scone by Will Freedman and ridden by James McDonald came from near the back of the field to beat the Bjorn Baker, Warwick Farm trained Deel With Me (Hugh Bowman, $2.10 fav.) by a long head with Winter Moon (Clayton Gallagher, $16) two and a half lengths away in third place.

Brett Robb had earlier notched the first leg of a double when Dalavin (Jackson Searle, $9) owned by Greg O’Mally and his mother Mrs O’Mally from Narromine and formerly from Bourke, led throughout to win the 1100 metres Southern Cross Turf And Elite Sand & Gravel Class 1 Handicap from Brief Statement (Rachael Murray, $8) and Dark Herring (Hugh Bowman, $4).

Now a leading trainer at Dubbo, Clint Lundholm formerly from Coonamble also had a winning double with Beauchamp (Hugh Bowman, $1.85 fav.) and Blackadder (Reece Jones, $8) both leading all the way.

Beauchamp is part owned by media personality Richard Callander while part owners of Blackadder are Vince Gordon and his wife Tanya Gordon from Dubbo.

Racing is at Gilgandra this Saturday.