CLAIMING apprentice Emma Bell took control of the Clermont meeting on November 23 to win four of the five events.
For good measure she finished third in the only event to evade her clutches.
Bell's winning spree opened when she teamed with her mum, trainer Jenny Bell to take the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1400m) aboard Flinders Deagon, the $2.40 favourite.
She followed with victory in the following race when the John Manzelmann-trained Vamparina ($7) prevailed in a tight finish to the Class B (1200m) in what was the first leg of a treble for the Mackay-based trainer.
Manzelmann and Bell were back in the winning stall after the Maiden Plate (1000m) courtesy of the well-backed Annie Laughalot ($2.30 favourite), which landed some nice bets.
Bell completed her quartet through Global Rocket ($2.30), which proved best in the Ratings 0-60 Handicap (1000m).
Bell, who was named Queensland country apprentice-of-the-year for 2018-19, started race riding in 2017 as a mature age apprentice.
Beforehand she completed a bachelor of human movement and occupational health and safety at university and worked as a mining safety professional at several coal mines in the Bowen Basin.
"That was unreal," she said, recalling her victories.
"I'd ridden a treble before but never four and the last winner was a real surprise packet. He's better known as a miler and I did not think he could beat the favourite, especially over 1000m.
"But we got the job done and it was a real thrill."
The quartet means Bell has out-ridden her allowance in the bush but can still claim an allowance of three kilograms at provincial meetings.
The Blackall card belonged to riders Luke Dillon (Leo's Express, Koby's Strategy and Zukaz) and David Rewald (Nothing To Dance and Classic WInd), who shared the winning spoils.
Trainer Eric Ropiha, whose dad Eric senior counted the 1960 Caulfield Cup (Ilumquh) among a string of victories in an illustrious career, did not take long to extract optimum results from recent acquisition Sequasi.
Previously trained by Jim Hanna and still racing in his popular blue and maroon livery, Sequasi was transferred to Ropiha earlier in the year and debuted for the stable at Dalby on November 23.
Sequasi (Ron Goltz) scraped home in the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1200m), beating Victory Dance by a nose with Leroy Rocks another length away, third.
Brisbane rider Matthew Gray went about as far as he could for a weekend winner when he rode Do I Have To in the Pentland Cup. Do I Have To scored from Fluidity and Moving Target.
Do I Have To and his Winton-based trainer Ray Hermann have covered plenty of territory in the past few weeks, netting more than $11,000 in prizomoney.
Their sequence started in Cloncurry (sixth) on October 19 after which his form improved sharply for runs in Isisford (second), Richmond (second) and Julia Creek (fourth) before Pentland.
Different trainers from five different locations - Glenn Richardson (Nanango), Corey and Kylie Geran (Sunshine Coast), Kaye Hill (Wondai), Mary Hassam (Bundaberg) and Lindsay Gough (Brisbane) - were the winners on the Diggers Cup program at Gympie.
The Gough-trained Shinecock won the $15,000 Cup (1470m).
Cairns mentor Fred Weiland claimed a double on his home course when Pure Rebel (Nathan Day) won the Billy Cook Memorial (1250m) and Diego Bay (Shane Pawsey) was successful in the Class 1, over the same trip.
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
