WHILE Birdsville delayed its racing until the Sunday due to rain, racing at Buchanan Park continued as planned.
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And those in the local racing industry who could get no further than Bedourie on the Friday due to road closures, such as jockey Dan Ballard, enjoyed the racing from the side on Saturday.
Jockey Louise Dillon, who came up from the Sunshine Coast, did well out of the day’s racing, having come first in two of the five races.
She won the first and the last races of the day. Local jockey Terrence Hill also won two races, for trainer Tanya Parry.
Dillon rode He’s a Magician in the 1450 metre Class 3 Plate.
The Damien Finter trained racehorse had placed third the weekend before in the 1400 metre Bench Mark 65 handicap when ridden by Dan Ballard.
Second placer Good Mood and jockey Jason Kropp were 1.3 lengths behind.
Good Mood was trained by Bob Burow, who had horses Mossale and Aperture scratched from the adjourned Birdsville Races.
Lucky Apache, ridden by Melissa Cox, was in third place, 6.6 lengths behind He’s a Magician.
The third placer was trained by Tanya Parry, who had no horses nominated to race in Birdsville at the weekend.
Parry’s focus on Mount Isa seemed to pay off for her, considering her horses won three of the five races.
The Parry trained racehorse Court Action won the second race – the 900 metre Benchmark 65 Handicap.
It was a close race though. Jockey Terrence Hill only managed to get Court Action ahead of Boot Shaker by 0.4 lengths.
Burow’s Show Us the Way was 0.5 lengths behind Boot Shaker.
The 900 metre Class 1 handicap was won by Smart Craft, trained by Grant Wiles and jockeyed by Steven Galvin.
Smart Craft was 4.8 lengths ahead of Your Way Or Mine, trained by David Smith and ridden by Justin Esser.
Next came Muscat, 0.1 lengths from the second placer.
Parry’s Diurnal Tiger won the Benchmark 60 Handicap, again ridden by Hill.
Hill was able to prevent Dillon’s third win at Buchanan Park.
Dillon had ridden the second placer Ziggler, trained by Kath North, who was 3.3 lengths behind.
Parry also trained the third placer, Star Truce, jockeyed by Katariina Aho.
The 1200 metre ratings band 0-45 handicap was won by Flamingo Rose, which had the great combination of trainer Tanya Parry and jockey Louise Dillon, who had already proven her ability earlier.
Flamingo Rose had a comfortable margin of 4.8 lengths when it crossed the post. Second placer Azusa was also trained by Parry.