Which Wendy will wear the bracelet was the puzzle for Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb when Miss Mellencamp won the feature race at the famous opal mining town Lightning Ridge on Easter Saturday.
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Trophy for the Dale Bruce Memorial Lightning Ridge Cup (1200 metres) was a magnificent $15,000 opal bracelet and Miss Mellencamp is owned by two ladies with the same name – Wendy Robb, wife of the winning trainer, and Wendy Robb, Nyngan Jockey Club secretary.
Ridden by Nyngan apprentice Clayton Gallagher, Miss Mellencamp ($6) tracked the leaders then finished best to defeat the Queensland trained topweight More Of The Zaim (Yuya Saiki $4.60) by over a length with Dabamirak (Tiffany Jeffries, $3.40) battling on for third.
All supporting races had $1000 opal pendants for trophies and Gulgong trainer Brett Thompson took home three, following wins by Tumbling Dice ($1.80 fav), Turf On Top ($2.50 fav.) and Pencita ($2.70 fav.), all ridden by stable apprentice Jake Pracey-Holmes.
The long trip was also worthwhile for Parkes trainer Sharon Jeffries and her daughter, jockey Tiffany Jeffries when they combined to win the Spider&Tiny Brown Memorial Maiden Plate (900 metres) with the $2.20 favourite Charley. Leading throughout, Charley defeated Youthful Jo (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.20) by a length and a half with Wake Up Cass (Rasit Yetimova, $6), third. The Coonabarabran trained Secret City (Yuya Saiki, $2.20 fav.) led all the way to win the Peter Waterford Memorial Class 1 Handicap (900 metres), then backed up to win again at Bourke Picnics on Sunday with Dubbo jockey Katelyn Jenkinson in the saddle. Racing at Tomingley Picnics will take place Saturday and Dubbo (TAB) on Sunday with Bathurst (TAB) and Nyngan racing on Anzac Day.