Congratulations to all the teams who travelled at the weekend to play in the 2018 Club Challenge State final. 

The Bronze team of Rodney Ryan Singles player, Andrew Reynolds, Helen Beetson Pairs players, Alby Homer, Jenny Parry and Rose Ryan Triples player who played in the final against Oak Flats at Warilla finished up second and winning the silver medal. 

The Gold teams of Tim Walsh, Mick Walsh, Teressa Rose, Deanna Stephens and Baden Powell all played well in their games but did not get to the finals.

Golden Oldies bowls winners Ron Sullivan and Ken Simmonds.

Wednesday night bowls winners Lyn Hawley and Fred Fitzalan.

Sunday bowls winners Phil Gibson, Michael McGlynn and Ken Simmonds.

Friday Night Barefoot bowls: Lucky winners  Anneleise Shields, Mal O’Brien and Kane Taylor. Lucky losers were Pat Walsh, George Bennett and Brendan Burt.

The winners of the prize money of $500 was won by Mal O’Brien, $300 second Joe Taylor and $100 and third Kaiden Whaley $100. Congratulations to all.

Barefoot bowls on Friday night will continue for this week and possibly the week after and then start again in the new year.

Saturday, December 15 at 3pm there will Ham Triples. Single nominations (teams drawn from hat). 

Two games of 12 ends. Winners and runner up receive a ham each. $10.00 per person includes sausage sandwich.  Everyone welcome (Open to new bowlers) There is a sheet on the board for nominations.

Sunday, December 16 at 10am Pork Pairs two games x 12 ends. Single nominations (teams drawn from hat) $10 per person BBQ and salads included. Open to everyone (new bowlers welcome). There is a sheet on the board for nominations.

The children’s Christmas party will be held on Sunday, December 16 at 2pm. All children welcome. Santa will give presents to (children who have their names down on the list) are ten years and under.

New Years Eve there will barefoot bowls and a four man band from Dubbo called JJ also there will be prize money of $1,000.00.

Bowls times for Golden Oldies on Tuesday start at 10am. On Wednesday night, names in by 5.30pm for a start at 6pm. On Friday we have Barefoot bowls with names in by 6.30pm to start at 7pm. On Sunday names in by10am please, to start  at 10.30am.

Marie Bexon

At the halfway mark in Twilight golf and we have Rough Nuts and Macquarie Electrics level pegging on 14 points.  Then three teams lurking just behind on 12 points. 

Neil Earthmoving; were the weeks best getting around Nyngan Tyres and Battery on a count-back 48 points a piece for the winners. 

Dean Woods was in fine form for the losers Dick McGuiness stood out like a beacon. 

Saturday’s Stroke winner with 68 nett was Chicky Parry, first game back from a recent operation and he was two strokes better than John Wynne and a couple further back was Steve Peterson and Tex Tomek.

John was the Pin winner. 

A couple of die-hard Manly Sea Gulls supporters in Peto and Dave Bartley got the cash in Sundays Ambrose with 29.62 nett. 

Only the the one Birdie the rest were Pars, Greg Matheson and Dave Buggy had 30.12 nett, they finished one over Par. 

Janine Tulenew and Sarah Walsh went OK with their 30.75 nett. 

Pin winners were Dave Bubby and Dave Bartley.

Pat Walsh

Nictock has been announced as the “Horse Of The Year” for the 2017/2018 season at tracks covered by the Central Districts Racing Association ( CDRA ).

The announcement and trophy presentation took place before a massive crowd at the Mudgee Cup meeting on Friday.

Trained at Mudgee by Cameron Crockett and owned by Ken Hardy, Ian Hardy and Denise Hardy from Sydney, Nictock, a five year old chestnut gelding by Nicconi from Ready To Rumba, has the impressive record of seven wins and four placings from 16 starts.

In a spectacular start to the career Nictock won seven races from the first eight starts, the only defeat being when third at Royal Randwick.

Over the 2017/2018 season, Nictock had wins on metropolitan tracks at Canterbury and  Warwick Farm and finished second in a big field at a Saturday meeting at Rosehill.

Along with Nictock, finalists considered for the CDRA “Horse Of The Year” were the 2016/2017 winner Lake Lugarno trained at Forbes by Barry Molloy, Sharpe Hussler ( Cameron Crockett, Mudgee ), Schedule ( Mack Griffith, Mudgee ) and Our Dasha ( Derek Piper ( Mudgee ).

Greg Ryan from Dubbo has again won the CDRA Jockeys Premiership, Warwick Farm based Bjorn Baker is the CDRA Trainers Premiership winner for the second year in succession while Chris Williams formerly from Dubbo won the Apprentice Jockeys Premiership.

It was an emotional day for trainer Cameron Crockett as apart from accepting the 

CDRA “Horse Of The Year” trophy for Nictock he earlier won a race with The Warlord and later watched as the jockeys wore black armbands in the Mudgee Cup to honour his father the legendary horse breaker and trainer Max Crockett who recently passed away at Mudgee.

In the final event at Mudgee, the 1200 metres Wild Oats Cup Day Showcase Sprint, Nictock ( Chad Lever,$3.80 ) humped the 62.5kg top weight when a gallant second to the Derek Piper, Mudgee trained Our Dasha ( Greg Ryan,$4.60 ) with Choice Larga ( Travis Wolfgram, $11 ) third, in a three way photo finish.

The Joe Pride, Warwick Farm trained Tahsin has now won the $50,000 Robert Oatley Vineyards Mudgee Cup ( 1600 metres ) twice in succession, ridden last year by Jeff Penza and in 2018 by Irish born apprentice Robbie Dolan.

After enjoying a nice run midfield on the rails, Tahsin ( $11 ) down the centre of the track finished best to account for the leader Appoint Percy ( Courtney Gravener, $5 ) and Missybeel ( Jean Van Overmeire, $9 )

First leg of a winning treble at Mudgee for Cowra jockey Mathew Cahill was Mornay, a debut maker in the 1100 metres Robert Oatley 3YO Maiden Showcase Plate.

Mornay is trained at Gosford by Luke Hilton the grandson of legendary Cowra trainer the late Viv Miller while Luke’s father is Bob Hilton from Cowra, a well known sports commentator and himself a former outstanding sportsman.

Raced by a syndicate from Cowra including several first time owners, the well named Mornay ( from the mare Lobster ) was bred and is part owned by the Pullen family, owners of Balance Accountants and Advisers, a prominent sponsor of Cowra Jockey Club.

Matt Pullen and Luke Hilton went to school together.

Mornay ( $3.10 ) was given a good run behind the leaders by Mathew Cahill, and wore down Perigord ( Greg Ryan, $1.70 favourite ) to win by a half length with Moinda ( Jake Pracey-Holmes, $21 ) over three lengths away in third place.

A huge crowd is expected at the Award winning Warren Twilights ( TAB ) on Friday with Dubbo Twilights ( TAB ) to race on Friday, December 21 and Bathurst on Saturday, December 22.

Colin Hodges