The Simpson Desert racing carnival is over for another year with the Bedourie races on the weekend following on big meets at Betoota and then the Birdsville Cup.
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Bedourie hosted a six race card on Saturday and attracted good interest despite a second meet on in western Queensland at McKinlay on the same day.
In Race 1 the Toowoomba Truck Spares / Bush Heritage maiden plate over 1100 metres there was an upset when the short-priced New Zealand-bred favourite Playbook was beaten by a length by the 12/1 shot Captain Archie, ridden by and trained by John Tyack.
Celestial Grey was third.
In Race 2 the Gibson Grazing / Mead Perry Group open handicap over a 1000 metres, there was a win for jockey Michael Heagney aboard the Rodney Robb-trained Jen See See.
It finished over a length clear of Tolstoy with Sammy Sparrow five length back in third.
Debbie McMaster rode a great race to win the cup aboard Kym Healy’s Aussie Jack
Heagney made it a double with a win in Race 3 the Toby Harris / Kabzs Plumbing Class B handicap also over 1000m.
This time he rode Bevan Johnson’s Royal Tone which edged out the favourite and another Johnson horse Not a Bad Joker by a length with Montoya Night third.
Race 4 was the big one, the George Bourne & Associates / Cluny Station Bedourie Cup Open handicap run over 1600 metres.
Debbie McMaster rode a great race to win the cup aboard Kym Healy’s Aussie Jack. The combination finished half a length clear of Eye Winsome with Mrs Zeltfire three and a half lengths back in third.
In Race 5 the McInnes Wilson / Cava Hydraulics / City & Country Realty QTIS RB 0-55 handicap over 1200m, the favourite was beaten again as trainer Rodney Robb got his second win of the day with Raynes Park, a second win also for jockey Clayton Gallagher.
It finished eight lengths clear of favourite Bella Song with Surf Ski a further 10 lengths behind in third.
The last race of the day was the Jean Smith Memorial Class 6 Handicap over 1300m.
The Robb-Gallagher combination made it a trifecta for trainer and jockey with Miss Mellencamp streaking clear to win by 10 lengths from Can He Rap. Another beaten favourite Still the Same was 11 lengths further back in third.