Gunnedah’s Gavin Groth had the honour of training the winning horse in the feature race at this year’s Talmoi Cup, at the Garah-based racecourse last Saturday.
The Groth-trained Norman won the sixth and final race – named the Talmoi Picnic Cup – by a mere 0.7 of a length in a field of nine.
Paul Zerafa was the winning jockey, while the race distance was 1400m on a surface rated as ‘firm’.
Four of the nine horses had a smaller starting price than Norman’s $7, while two of the others also had a $7 starting price.
Connie Greig trained the second, seventh, eighth and ninth placegetters, while Kelly Smith trained the third and fifth placegetters.
Norman’s previous victory was at Gunnedah last July, before its form this year produced mixed results.
Following a runner-up placing at Moree on May 24, Norman placed last at Mallawa on June 7 while Zerafa was the jockey each time.
Groth said last Saturday’s win was a tough one, considering Norman came from one of the wide gates due to an unfavourable barrier draw.
Groth said the gelding was running second after the first 200m, and then pulled ahead after getting to the home straight while showing a “good turn of foot at the top of the straight”.
Although Norman was able to go a few lengths in front, the favourite in the race – Blackhill Kitty – narrowed the margin without being able to catch up.
Groth said “we weren’t expecting Norman to win” while it was “always nice to win a race, no matter where it is”.
Norman’s next race is likely to be at the Wean Picnic Races on July 12, with Groth saying a top-three placing at this event could enable the gelding to qualify for the NSW Picnic Championship final.
Groth meanwhile had four other runners at Talmoi last Saturday, with placings of second, third, fourth and seventh.
As the favourite in a field of five in the opening 1000m race, the Groth-trained and Zerafa-ridden Barrieanna finished an agonising 0.1 of a length behind the winner.
The fourth favourite in a field of six in the 800m race, the Groth-trained and Zerafa-ridden La Mia Via placed third while being 2.3 lengths behind the victor.
Race three was 1000m, with the Groth-trained and Ricky Blewitt-ridden Annual placing last while being 2.1 lengths behind the top placegetter in the field of four.
Annual was the equal-second favourite along with the third placegetter, while the favourite finished 0.1 of a length behind the first placegetter and last favourite.
Race five was 1400m, with the Groth-trained and Blewitt-ridden Showtime Sassy coming third-last out of nine after being the equal-third favourite along with the eventual victor.
