After some dismal local weather on Sunday the track was rated as a slow six surface, but with beautiful weather prevailing on the day, and the wonderful draining quality of our home track, the track was upgraded to a dead five rating after race two for the remainder of the program. 

The star of the show, at least from our local point of view, was again Debi-Lee Saxton’s five-year-old gelding Lighthouse who romped in out wide for a clear one-and-a-half lengths winning margin in the Benchmark 55 (1010m) event, being race five on the card, against a strong and experienced field of local and visiting sprinters.

Of course it was Roly Saxton again in the saddle for the beautifully-timed ride, following Lighthouse’s emphatic eight lengths victory on debut at the track on Melbourne Cup day, and he started as the $2.80 favourite on Monday.

He looks set to progress through the grades and I can’t wait to see his next assignment.

Our other local winner on the day followed in race six, the benchmark 60 (1425m) event, where four Moruya runners hit the line in the tight finish with less than one length separating the four in the photo. 

It was Brett Jones’ Macks Cutie who got the judge’s decision in the nail-biter over Matt Wood’s Brockman, who was resuming from a spell and looking to make it four wins in-a-row but came in second by a head.

Colbey Hill’s Magic Franco flashed home late to claim third just ahead of Chris Hensler’s Jayko in fourth after leading for most the race.

Like Lighthouse, Macks Cutie was also an emphatic winner at the track on Melbourne Cup day, and the now ten-year-old gelding is considered by many as a track specialist with six of his eleven career wins coming on the home track at Moruya.

This was the only Moruya-based trifecta on the day and the only first-four finish for our local trainers.

In other events John Law’s Cabaret Prince finished a close second in the maiden (1425m) event, and Kevin Cassidy’s Woobie, resuming from a spell, showed much improvement and promise when finishing a clear second in the maiden (920m) sprint. 

Matt Stephens’ New Vogue ran strongly for a good closing third placing in the class two (1200m) sprint, and Lynda Bundy’s Cos Can’t Wait finished a one-length second, with Neil Perryman aboard, in the benchmark 55 mile, following his close second at the track two weeks before, over the same distance.

All seven races on card were won by different jockeys, and it was good to have Matt Hill down from Sydney doing the calling.

Don’t forget that our next meeting at Moruya is the widely-publicised “saddle up Sunday” Christmas meeting on Sunday, December 21, which apart from all the festivities will be a big fundraiser by the Moruya Jockey Club in association with our region’s Rotary Clubs in support of Moruya Cancer Carers and the Moruya District Hospital’s Oncology unit. 

In the lead-up to Monday’s meeting, John Marzol’s Grey Drama finished a close fifth in the Snake Gully Flying (1000m) event at Gundagai on Friday, where Mark Macdonald’s Hot Scent showed continuing improvement with a good fourth in the opening maiden (1100m) sprint with Roly aboard. 

Roly also rode at Gundagai on Saturday where he had two close seconds before ending the day with a win for Barbara Joseph on She’s Belleistic. 

I was delighted to see Joe Ible’s Vision and Verse return from a spell in brilliant form when finishing a one-length second in strong company in the opening maiden (1200m) sprint at provincial Kembla Grange on Saturday, following a good barrier trial win at Goulburn on November 2. 

Chicka Pearson’s Painted Warrior and Kevin Cassidy’s Come Out Swingin’ both ran well, but unplaced, at Canberra on Sunday.

Subject to scratchings, Luke Pepper’s Zuccherina and Wade Mathie’s Yeeha were to run at Wagga yesterday (Thursday) and Steve Stephen’s Baldovino is in the nominations for the annual Adaminaby Cup tomorrow. 

Tim Phillips is riding today at the iconic Bong Bong Picnic meeting, as close as he gets to home on the Picnic circuit.

Until next week, good luck and good punting.