RACING By COLIN HODGES For owner James Carolan from Tamworth it was a lucrative and memorable day at Parkes on Sunday when Knife’s Edge won the $40,000 Parkes Services Club Parkes Cup and Amoruso the opening race which carried a huge bonus. Luke Morgan shares ownership of the Garry Lunn, Dubbo trained Knife’s Edge while Troy Cooper is part owner of Amorusu trained at Tamworth by Craig Martin. The much travelled 8 year old gelding Knife’s Edge had been racing in Queensland last spring and resumed from a spell when fifth in the recent Diggers Cup at Narromine. Sonic Tycoon led the field in the 1600 metres Parkes Cup with Knife’s Edge allowed to settle well back by leading apprentice Shannen Llewellyn. Bursting through the pack in the straight, Knife’s Edge ($25 to $15) raced clear to win by over a length from Loose Love (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $4.80 to $3.40 favourite) with the 2024 Cup winner Just A Brother (Clayton Gallagher, $8.50) a fast finishing third. First prize for the 1000 metres Telescope Tyres Group-Inglis Maiden Handicap was $16,750 however Amoruso picked up a $100,000 bonus as a qualified horse for the Inglis Xtra Bonus series. Parkes was one of a small number of clubs in NSW chosen to host an Inglis Xtra Bonus race and qualifiers from the Inglis Sales among the 12 horse field were Amoruso, Cerons and My Crown. Leading all the way, Amoruso (Shannen Llewellyn, $2.15) won by almost 2 lengths from Spring Prospect (Clayton Gallagher, $3.50) and Bounding Bon (Ken Dunbar, $151). Completing a winning treble and collecting the D’Aquinos jockeys point score trophy, Shannen Llewellyn won the 1300 metres Parkes Courier Service/Parkes Farm Centre Benchmark 58 Handicap on the Connie Greig, Dubbo trained Miss Capricorn. Shannen Llewellyn thought she had been beaten however Miss Capricorn ($7) gained the verdict by a nose from the fast finishing Wasted Days (Shayleigh Ingelse, $19) with D’Arpano (Tilly McCarroll, $18) a neck away third. Mikayla Weir also thought she had been beaten in the 1200 metres McMahon Building/Zac Kelly Golf Class 2 Showcase Plate but the photo finish showed the Dean Mirfin, Bathurst trained Turned Down (Mikayla Weir, $6.50) the winner by a nose from Cougars (Jean Van Overmeire, $3 favourite). Success for a local when Billabong Rose owned and bred by John Davis from Tichborne , near Parkes, won the 1400 metres McPherson’s Parts & Service /AEH Group Super Maiden Plate. Leading for home, the Brett Thompson, Gulgong trained Billabong Rose (Nick Heywood, $2.40 favourite) scored by nearly a length from Codonas (Jean Van, Overmeire, $13 ) and Turning Circle (Grant Buckley, $4.60). Following a fast finishing win over 1700 metres at Wellington the previous Tuesday, the astute Wellington trainer Jim McMillan backed up Naval Officer for the 1600 metres D’Aquinos Grand Hotel/Standen Building Class 2 Handicap at Parkes. From midfield, Naval Officer (Grant Buckley, $4 favourite) surged to the front at the top of the straight and kept going strongly to win in a close finish from Remadosi (Jean Van Overmeire, $8) and Trust A Kitty (Siena Grima, $13). Winner of the 1200 metres Coachman Hotel Punters Club Satellite Handicap in 2024 when trained by Brett Robb, Blitzar now trained by Troy Lorback at Wagga Wagga won the same race this year. Getting a late rails run, Blitzar (Nick Heywood, $19) won by a long neck from Water Lad (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $14) and Keikoku (Jack Baker, $5.50). A very good ride also by Ken Dunbar to push the Michael Lynch, Cowra trained The Mooch ($4.40 to $3.30 favourite) through a narrow opening to beat Princess Halo, Grant Buckley, $11) and Media Coverage, Clayton Gallagher, $7) in the 1000 metres MCA Engineering/Tanswell Transport Benchmark 58 Handicap. A lot of hard work by the committee had the Parkes racecourse in immaculate condition for the successful Cup meeting.
