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By Colin Hodges

With well over 5,000 entry tickets sold, Nyngan Racecourse was packed on Saturday when Blackhill Kitty won the 1250m Nyngan Toyota-Duck Creek Picnic Cup.

Owned and trained by the Dubbo-based Connie Greig, the six-year-old mare Blackhill Kitty had won at Cobar then finished runner-up in the Picnic Cups at Mallawa and Talmoi in the lead up to Duck Creek.

Ridden by Todd Bailey, Blackhill Kitty ($2.60 equal favourite) from near last early, took control in the straight and won by over three lengths from stablemate I’m Scarlett (Grady Spokes, $2.60) and the 2023 Cup winner All Words (Sebastian Galea, $6).

Blackhill Kitty (Georgina McDonnell) in a previous Brewarrina win. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

Accumulating 58 points so far during the season, Blackhill Kitty is on top of the qualifying ladder for the $50,000 NSW Picnic Champions Series Final to be held at Dubbo in October.

Since the start of the current season, Cobar galloper Mr Pointer has won the feature picnic sprint races at Mungery, Tottenham , Bourke and now Duck Creek.

In the 900m Duck Creek Open Trophy Handicap, the Wayne Prisk-trained Mr Pointer (Ricky Blewitt, $3.20 eq fav) took the early lead but had to fight hard for a long head win over Billy Bent Ear (Todd Bailey, $5) with Super Hot ($4.40) in third place.

Close to compulsory retirement at the end of July, the 12yo marvel Billy Bent Ear has now recorded 19 wins and 51 placings from 169 starts.

Owned by Gilgandra Jockey Club president Jason Tate and trained by Kieren Hazelton, Mean Grls has hit top form and after winning at Bligh Picnics was second in a big field at Dubbo TAB meeting before taking out the 1250m Aspect Property Class B Hndicap at Duck Creek.

Giving Narromine jockey Ricky Blewitt a winning double, Mean Girls ($1.80 fav) led throughout to beat Cooma Hut (Todd Bailey, $6) and One Command (Arthur Pollock, $4.40).

There was a very popular result in the opening event, the 900m Bogan Farms Maiden Plate, when the Rodney Robb, Nyngan-trained Ben My Friend was first home.

Owned by Greg O’Mally and his mother Maeve O’Mally and ridden by Todd Bailey, Ben My Friend backed from $2.30 to $1.90 favourite, joined the lead turning for home and then broke clear for a good win over No Pockets (Zara Lewis, $8) and Sharkhop (Emily Waters, $6).

Tumbarumba trainer Mont Waters and his daughter, jockey Emily Waters, combined to win the 900m Canobar White Dorper Stud Class 2 Trophy Handicap with Cassimir.

Parked handy to the leaders, Cassimir ($8 to $5.50) won by over a length from Spotted (Ricky Blewitt, $6) and Maryland Bridge (Todd Bailey, $5.50).

Forbes trainer Bill Hayes has his team going well and Avvertimento (Zara Lewis, $3) after establishing a seven-length lead held on for an over two-length win from Prefer The Wink (Sebastian Galea, $4) and Maralago (Arthur Pollock, $2.80 fav) in the 1600m Fiveways Legal Class 1 Trophy Handicap.

Good sponsorship and the massive crowd attracted to the meeting, has the Duck Creek committee able to make a substantial donation to charity.

Following Dubbo on Thursday there are meetings at Carinda (Saturday), Warren (Tuesday 15th July) and Coonabarabran (Saturday 19th July).