On May 8, Goulburn was a typically tough meeting with four locals taking on the might of the Sydney stables.  

The improved country prizemoney has seen more city and provincial horses travelling to country meetings, especially those not too far out of town such as Nowra and Goulburn.

The best run by a Moruya galloper was Rachel Backhouse’s The Devil’s Mark.  

His sixth placing was a good effort and he looks like he is close to being first past the post again.

On May 10, there was racing on a sunshine-drenched track at Queanbeyan.  

Roly Saxton made the most of it by winning the first race on Joe Cleary’s Moss Fever.  

Joe and Roly have a good combination going at present, so watch out when they team up. 

Brown Bob and Four Fortyfour filled the minor placings in race four, but then the rain began.

After race five the visibility was so poor the final two races were abandoned. 

John Marzol made the trek to Young on Saturday and the trip nearly paid off 

with John’s runners, Plus One and Cammilus, running second and fourth in their respective races.  

Apprentice hoop Maddy Wright also made the trip and just missed out on a win, finishing second in race six.   

On the same day Joe Ible took promising stayer Lambeau to Kembla Grange for a first-up run over 1200m.  

She will be better off over longer distances in the coming weeks and watch for her third run back when she will be fully fit and at her best distance.

On Tuesday, nine Moruya runners took on the top stables again, at Goulburn. 

In race two Tom Lyttle’s Redondo Rock had its first start.  

Sent out at a long price, it did not surprise when he ran a good race following his good track work at Moruya.  

Tom should be able to pencil him in for a win over the coming weeks.

In the next race John Peiti’s Aidan Anthony ran a good second and he too seems to have his hoof on the till.

By race four the track was deteriorating due to constant light rain.  

The Devil’s Mark ran up to his previous good run and finished fourth while probably not appreciating the soft going.  

Bel Esandy finished sixth in the race and also looked to not enjoy the soft track. 

In race seven James Curtis’ Rushman ran another excellent race, just being pipped 

for third place in the shadows of the post.  

Chicka Pearson’s Stake Knife finished fifth and both these horses look capable of winning a race in the coming weeks.  

This Sunday is Nowra Cup day and while there are not a lot of Moruya horses nominated for the meeting, Colbey Hill’s Ward will have a good chance in the Cup if he runs.  

Mark Macdonalds’s mare Abishadow returns to racing after a breakthrough campaign last time in work. 

Let’s hope she continues on from where she left off and she has shown good first-up form in the past.

A lot of the Moruya horses will have the Sapphire Coast meeting on June 7 on their schedule.  

I expect the slightly easier fields down south will result in a few wins for the Moruya horses.

Horses to follow   

As mentioned above The Devil’s Mark, Rushman, Aidan Anthony, Stake Knife and Redondo Rock are all racing well in tough company and should be competitive at a meeting such as Sapphire Coast on June 7.

Jacakaizane is back in work and the Jazz Festival Cup at Sapphire, and the Batemans Bay Cup on June 28 look like nice races for him.

The next Moruya meeting is the Batemans Bay Cup on June 28.