By COLIN HODGES

Rodger Waters who has stables on his property at Wantabadgery and trains his team at nearby Wagga Wagga won the Nyngan Toyota Duck Creek Picnic Cup on Saturday with Kaipaki.

Held at Nyngan with a huge crowd attending, the 1250 metres Cup had some early drama when the well fancied Dubbo galloper Bandahara became a late scratching after being slightly injured when leaving the mounting yard.

Kaipaki had recently won a Benchmark 58 race at Towong in Victoria and was a last start fourth in TAB company at Albury, those performances earning $2.90 favouritism at Duck Creek.

Ridden by Emily Waters, the daughter of Tumbarumba trainer Mont Waters, Kaipaki led all the way when winning by over five lengths from Harry And The Duke ( Ricky Blewitt,$5 ) with more than seven lengths to the third placed Rogue Runner (Michael Gray,$5).

Present at the meeting was retired jockey Glen Boss who along with the great mare Makybe Diva achieved legendary status with an unlikely to be repeated 3 Melbourne Cup wins, however another legend playing a leading role at Nyngan was the long time successful local trainer Rodney Robb.

To the delight of his many supporters the very well liked Rodney Robb led in a winning treble with Sons Of Bourke, Knee Slapper and Tintern Power.

Owned by a a group of keen racing fans from Bourke, the aptly named Sons Of Bourke (Emily Waters,$2.80) from well back, steamed down the outside to snatch victory by a nose from Tell’s Tails (Will Stanley$2.20 favourite) with Japingka (Ricky Bewitt,$6) a handy third in the 900 metres Rob Ellison Open Trophy Handicap.

Michael Gray made the most of a late engagement to ride Knee Slapper for Rodney Robb in the 1250 metres Aspect Property Class B Handicap.

Leading Picnic jockeys Leandro Ribeiro and Wayne Wheatley had to be replaced at late notice on their booked rides when their plane flight was unable to leave Sydney.

Knee Slapper (Michael Gray,$3.60) led throughout for a comfortable win from Drunkasamonkey (Ricky Blewitt,$3) and Mega Celebration (Will Stanley,$2.30 fav.)

In front from the outset, Tintern Power (Michael Gray,$2.10 fav.) owned by Wayne Brown became the third leg of the Rodney Robb treble when a runaway winner of the 1600 metres Woodham Petroleum Class 1 Trophy Handicap from Miss Twenty Two (Emily Waters,$3) and Stone (Will Stanley,$4.40).

Former Nyngan trainer Garry Bignell is now based at Cunnamulla and he returned from Queensland to land a winning double with Tip Toes and Oxygen Man.

Wayne Wheatley was to ride both the Bignell runners but missed out due to the plane cancellation from Sydney.

Bathurst rider Will Stanley took over on Tip Toes ($2 fav.) which was third early before clearing out to win the 900 metres Fiveways Legal Maiden Plate by nearly six lengths from Gift Of Time (Michael Gray,$7) and St Cloud Femme (Emily Waters,$3.60).

In the 900 metres Lawlab Class 2 Trophy Handicap, Magnetic Rose led from Combogolong before Oxygen Man (Breanna Bourke,$8.50) finished best to account for Combogolong (Ricky Blewitt,$2.70) and Travstar (Emily Waters,$2.20 fav.).

There are only two more Picnic meetings , Wean on Saturday and Cobar in August, before the $50,000 Picnic Championship Final on Coonamble Cup day ( TAB ) in October. Presently, Dubbo trainer Connie Greig has 6 of the top 12 in the qualifying pointscore for the Final.

Next up

Coming race meetings in the western plains area are Warren TAB on Monday and Carinda on Saturday 16 July.