Winx brings cheering crowd to a standing ovation

Bred and owned in NSW by powerful stable Godolphin, Kiamichi is by the Godolphin bred and raced Sidestep, who after negotiations now stands in Queensland, the Exceed And Excel stallion serving 57 mares at his first sun-state stud season in 2018.

A Group 2 winner who finished second himself in the Golden Slipper to Overreach in 2013, Sidestep - after spending his first three seasons at Godolphin, Aberdeen - now stands at Joe Heather's Telemon Thoroughbreds at Innisplain.

A first crop two-year-old by Sidestep, Kiamichi defeated stable companion and Exceed And Excel colt Microphone, with Lonhro filly Lyre in third spot.

Produced from a Woodlands Stud bred female family being from Canny Lad mare Ouachita, Kiamichi is a half-sister to recent Tasmanian Derby-LR winner Cossetot (by Epaulette).

While the Golden Slipper created a "buzz" about the Rosehill track, it was the world's greatest racehorse Winx who whipped the crowd into a frenzy, even before she stepped onto the course to win her fourth George Ryder Stakes-G1.

After her win, she and rider Hugh Bowman, paused and stood in front of the packed grandstand and surrounds who by cheering and clapping gave the pair a thunderous reception back to scale, in amazement of her history making racecourse efforts. The mighty mare by deceased Street Cry, has won a world record 24 Group 1 wins.

Winx is due to have her final start in the $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes-G1 at Randwick on April 13.

The stud value of The Autumn Sun continues to rise with another outstanding win in the Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas-G1 another feature race on the Rosehill program.

Like Winx, in Chris Waller's Rosehill stable, The Autumn Sun was bred by and is raced in partnership with Arrowfield Stud, and is sure to take up stud duties alongside his champion Australian sire Redoute's Choice.

Widden Stud was also in the headlines at Rosehill when Nature Strip won the Ooh Media Galaxy-G1 by a whisker from Lonhro stallion Pierata. A four-year-old gelding, Nature Strip is the first Group 1 winner by Widden sire Nicconi.

Lightning Ridge is gearing up for its annual Easter festival with bull rides scheduled at the rodeo grounds, and a dance at the local Bowling Club on Friday, April 19.

Gates open at noon the following day for its annual meeting, this year featuring six races including the $12,000 (and $5000 worth of trophies) Dale Bruce Memorial Lightning Bracelet Ridge Cup.

Easter Sunday festivities will continue at Lightning Ridge, and at the Back 'O' Bourke picnic races at Bourke.

A large gathering farewelled popular Parkes conditioner George Wright at Peak Hill recently, after his sudden passing at age 54.

George won the Central West Picnic Trainer's Point Score Competition (an 11 meet campaign), six times in succession and took out the NSW Picnic Trainers' Premiership several times.

Reared at Peak Hill, George has a family background in Standardbred and Thoroughbred racing. His grandfather - who also carried the same name, prepared Standardbreds, while his father Ted Wright raced galloper Blue Lake, a winner of several country cups, a horse he raced in partnership with Ron Jeffs of Peak Hill.

For 20 years from his teenage years, George turned his hand to being a harness racing trainer/driver, with some of his best pacers including Billy War Cloud and Regal Monarch.

George then switched to Thoroughbreds preparing more than 200 winners. He became renowned for travelling his horses, and placing them where he thought they had a chance, even it was at Broken Hill, Enngonia or Louth.

His stable - usually of about 20 horses - was a family affair with his wife Leanne taking care of office duties, with son George Wright junior, riding most of the trackwork.

Not only a well-travelled trainer, George was a long-time employee of Parkes Shire Council.