Determined to make a success of his return to race riding, 26 year old Nick Hyde set the ball rolling when winning the opening event aboard outsider Proofreader on Saturday at Coonabarabran.

Tall for a jockey, Nick found his weight too difficult to control during his initial brief stint race riding and after his sole winner, Cheap Charlie at Nowra in July 2021, he took a lengthy break.

With a fresh approach, Nick Hyde is now apprenticed to Gulgong trainer Brett Thompson and Proofreader became his first winner since the return to race riding last month.

Responsible for a very good ride, Nick Hyde brought the Thompson trained debut maker Proofreader ($14) from near last with a rails run to win the 900 metres Imperial Hotel Maiden Handicap from Winning Winnie (Nick Heywood, $7.50) and Dendina (Zoe Hunter, $12).

Ironically, Winning Winnie is trained by Darren Hyde, the father of Nick Hyde.

Brett Thompson later explained the well named Proofreader ( by Press Statement) is owned by Albert Nocera, an optometrist from Bowral whose mother was a proofreader for a newspaper publisher.

Completing a memorable day for the Hyde family from Dubbo, the Darren Hyde trained Adelsun(Nick Heywood, $20) overcame the outside barrier to come with a late burst and edge out Mean Girls (Wendy Peel, $8) and the third place dead heaters Billabong Rose (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $$4 favourite) and Hermosa Rosa (Jordan Quince, $9.50) in the 1200 metres Imperial Hotel Super Star Staff Benchmark 58 Handiacap.

In possibly the closest finish all season in the central west, a neck margin separated the first 5 placegetters in the 1600 metres Imperial Hotel Class 1 & Maiden Plate.

Parked behind the leading pack by Ashleigh Stanley, Gloryess ($6.50) surged along the rails to win by a short half head from Aleishka (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $5.50) which flashed home from last while a nose away third was Wicked Games (Nick Heywood, $8.50) narrowly in front of Joshua and Show Us Ya Texts.

“Gloryess needs a strong rider and for that reason I booked Ashleigh Stanley from Bathurst who I considered the right jockey for the horse”, revealed winning trainer Gavin Groth from Gunnedah.

Dubbo based apprentice Zoe Hunt and Mudgee trainer David Smith have combined for several winners this season and further success came at Coonabarabran with Getting Tipsy in the 1200 metres Imperial Hotel Maiden Plate.

Starting the $2.05 favourite, Getting Tipsy ( from the mare Day Drinking) enjoyed a nice run tracking the leading pair and finished best to account for Miss Heroic (Georgina McDonnell, $4.60) and Barrieanna (Hannah Johnston, $7).

The second leg of a double for Brett Thompson was Tropicana’s Cube (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $1.85 to $2 favourite) in the 1600 metres Imperial Hotel Benchmark 50 Handicap while a good ride by apprentice Hannah Johnston saw the Ray Hartley, Tamworth trained Ardonaugh ($3.50) finished strongly on the inside to win the 900 metres Imperial Hotel Gateway To The Warrumbungles Class 3 Handicap.

Next for Coonabarabran is the Cup meeting on Sunday 26th October while in the meantime, Macquarie Picnics at Trangie on Saturday and Wellington TAB on Tuesday 29th July.