Before we have a look at those meetings, let’s review what has transpired for our gallopers over the past fortnight, commencing with our own home-track meeting on February 20. 

It was another highly competitive eight-event meeting which ended our summer season of racing, with visiting trainers claiming all but one race on the day, all played out on another great racing surface under beautiful weather. 

Our one winner on the day was Simon Baguley’s Raise The Ante who pulled away from Chris Hensler’s Jayko in the straight to claim victory by 1.5 lengths in the Benchmark 55 (1435m) event. 

Lynda Bundy’s Cos Can’t Wait finished just behind Jayko in third place.

That was Raise The Ante’s second win from his past three starts, the first coming at the Sapphire Coast on January 31, before being relegated to second by James Cutis’s Rushman at Braidwood on February 14. 

Interestingly both horses are nominated for the same race at Queanbeyan next Monday, being a benchmark 50 (1460m) event, and I’m hoping they’ll both be acceptors.

In other races Tom Lyttle’s Double Warning went down by a nose for second in the opening Maiden Plate (930m), and Mark Macdonald’s pair Abishadow and Lavington Star, both ridden by Roly Saxton, finished third in their respective events. Roly also rode Benny Wynen’s Sapphire visitor She’s Back to victory in the Class one mile event. 

The following day, Tim Phillips rode in five of the six races at the Condobolin Picnic meeting, notching four seconds and a third placing. 

Last Saturday the Picnic meeting was at Yass where Tim rode in all six races, ending the day with two wins, three seconds and a fourth, for another great day in the saddle. 

Tomorrow the Picnic venue is at Tottenham in the north-west, followed by Crookwell Picnics the following Saturday, where Tim’s domination should hopefully continue.

I was delighted for Chicka Pearson and the connections to see their very consistent Stake Knife return home a winner from last Saturday’s Tumut non-TAB meeting, after taking out the Benchmark 45 (1200m) event in fast time on the firm two surface, with Nick Souquet in the saddle. 

He pinged from the gates and led all the way in a very pleasing performance to all, sending his prizemoney earnings past the $100,000 mark.

Joe Ible’s Babylon Note was our other winner at Tumut, claiming victory by a nose, in the Benchmark 50 mile with John Kissick in the saddle. 

That’s two wins from Babylon Note’s last three runs and she’s nominated for the 2000m distance event at Queanbeyan next Monday.

I’m excited by the prospects of our runners at the Sapphire Coast track today, so I’ll mention a few that stand out. 

Chris Hensler’s Jayko can never be underestimated and the ageing campaigner is accepted for the feature Merimbula Cup over the mile. 

Debi-Lee Saxton’s Lighthouse is unbeaten after three career runs and is resuming from a spell in the Benchmark 60 (1200m) sprint. 

Mark Macdonald’s Lavington Star is in good consistent form and should be prominent in the Class two (1400m) plate. 

John Law’s Yarragee Road resumes from a spell in the Class one (1000mm) sprint, as does Steve Stephens’ Arr Gee Three, a winner of its debut run last October at Queanbeyan, in the same race. 

Roly Saxton has rides in all eight races.

Sunday is Canberra’s big day with the running of the 2015 Black Opal stakes, with Joe Ible’s Vision and Verse, Brett Jones’ Macks Cutie and Tom Lyttle’s Gatto Mondo in the nominations for other races. 

Joe Ible’s Babylon Note and Tom Lyttle’s Double Warning are among our nominations for Queanbeyan, while Joe’s Rush To Judgement and Vision And Verse are also nominated for Kembla Grange. 

It is with deep regret and sadness that I note that the TVN network will cease transmission and come to an end on March 15. 

I’m sure I’m not the only who will dearly miss their coverage of racing. 

Until next time, good luck and good punting.