While the Mitchell Beer prepared mare Sky Call (by Domesday) won the $150,000 Southern Districts Country Championships Qualifier at Albury on Saturday, it was Magnalane who took the northern region's $150,000 Mid North Coast Country Qualifier at Taree on Sunday.
Ridden by Samantha Clenton, Magnalane gives her Port Macquarie conditioner Jenny Graham a chance to take a second $500,000 Country Championship Final, following the win of I Am Invincible gelding Victorem in 2018.
The trainer scratched her top-rated hope Awesome Pluck so the four-year-old could gain a start, Magnalane being the first emergency.
Magnalane nosed up Casino Mondial, a locally trained Casino Prince galloper by Mike Buyers, who also prepared Sheza Gypsy, the inaugural winner of the 2015 Mid North Coast Association Country Qualifier. In a tight finish, another local entrant Bellastar (Bel Esprit) - trained by Wayne Wilkes, was third.
The Warren Gavenlock trained Plonka won the rescheduled $150,000 Northern Rivers Racing Association Country Qualifier at Grafton on Thursday.
Mudgee will hold the Central Districts Qualifier on Sunday, while Tamworth qualifier for the Hunter and North-West will be held on Sunday, March 8, and the Western Districts race at Coonamble on Sunday, March 15.
The "wildcard" is scheduled for Muswellbrook on Sunday, March 22, with the $500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championship Final to be run at Randwick on Saturday, April 4.
By one of Victoria's leading stallions, Magnus, Magnalane was bred by Gerry and Sandra Van Kerkhoff 'Alrae Park', Wyong Creek, who race the four-year-old with friends John and Louise Sutherland.
Magnalane was produced from Melbourne winning Street Cry mare Songbird Lane, who has a Stratum Star filly at foot.
Earlier on the program Jenny Graham's third starter Sebago won the $40,000 Lowes Petroleum Service Showcase Country Maiden Plate. A four-year-old by Vinery Stud's import, Pluck, Sebago was bred and raced by Ron Hamilton of Mount Pleasant Stud Farm near Wollongong.
While he had to settle for third place in the qualifier, Wayne Wilkes had a win with six-year-old Penny Dreadful in the Manning Freight Benchmark 66. Now a winner of three races, the mare is by Kooringal Stud Wagga Wagga based sire, Duporth.
Run on a heavy track, Into The Oblivion proved another example of successful stock by now deceased champion first-crop sire Hinchinbrook, when his gelded son won the Thompson Motor Builders Class One.
Retired 24-year-old stallion, Mossman also of Vinery Stud, was represented with a winner when Miss Fox won the Marvin Truck Centre Class One Handicap, for Gosford trainer Adam Duggan.
Vital Industry Education
Jack Cripps, 22, who now has full-time employment with Tony McEvoy at his Flemington Stables, was the recipient of the Chairman's Award at a recent Sydney graduation ceremony of the inaugural intake of Explorer Cadets, via organisation Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC).
Received for his attitude towards learning, Jack was among a cadet group who participated in the 12-month stud and stable training program, which included three months of hands-on horsemanship training, as well as two paid work-placements, firstly in a racing stable, and then on a stud farm.
TIC is part of a wider push aiming to promote careers in the Thoroughbred industry.
"Before TIC it was very difficult for people without connections in racing and breeding to find their way into our industry - while on the other side of the equation, we're finding it harder to fill all the roles in our various businesses," Arrowfield Stud chairman John Messara said.
"The Explorer Program has already filled that gap, and the fact the majority of the inaugural cadets are now in full-time employment or further equine-related study is the best possible evidence of its significant value to our industry."
Two other cadets, Kiara Henderson from Murrabucca (near Cooma) and Kaitlyn Summers from Mallanganee (near Casino), were also recognised, sharing the Outstanding Achievement Award in all areas of horsemanship.
