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Former champion jockey Mal Johnston has celebrated his first winner as a trainer in more than three years at Wyong.
Ironically Johnston, inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame last year, missed the win by Golden Creek in the 4YO & Upwards Maiden Handicap (1600m).
Instead, he was at the corresponding Wellington meeting where his representative Scarpa went close to giving him a two-track double, finishing third in another maiden event.
“Trust me to be in the wrong place,” Johnston joked en route to Nyngan.
“I went to Wellington because I’m speaking at a Nyngan rugby league function for my great mate Rodney Robb, the Nyngan trainer.
“Rodney and I go back a long way; I rode for him when he brought horses to Sydney in the late 1970s.”
Johnston had endured 19 frustrating minor placings since Quite Frankly, Scarpa’s older half-brother, won at Orange on April 19 in 2016.
“I was starting to wonder if I would ever win another race,” Johnston said.
“I’ve only got a small team of half a dozen horses in work; a few have fallen by the wayside.
“I love the game and love pottering along with them.”
Johnston, who won three Sydney jockey’s premierships and rode the champion Kingston Town in 25 of his 30 wins, is the third Hawkesbury trainer to prepare Golden Creek.
“The horse came to me when Tommy Wong was outed,” Johnston explained.
“Hopefully, we can find another suitable race for Golden Creek in the coming weeks.”
Johnston became the 24th Hawkesbury trainer to win at least one race this season, and Golden Creek was Hawkesbury’s 140th winner so far this season.
Rookie Hawkesbury apprentice Atsu Maeda was unable to get home for Johnston on Scarpa at Wellington but did land the second winner of his career by scoring on Sugar Dance at that meeting.
Gulgong trainer Brett Thompson took advantage of Maeda’s 4kg claim, which lessened Sugar Dance’s weight from a hefty 63.5kg.
Maeda is apprenticed to Marty McInerney at Hawkesbury and has been riding work for Johnston for three years.
His first winner was on Atum for Bernie Kelly at Wellington on May 20.
Meanwhile leading Randwick trainers Peter and Paul Snowden are convinced they have strong chances at Sunday’s Hawkesbury meeting.
Peter Snowden has named Convinced and Starry as the stable’s best prospects on the eight-race card.
Sam Clipperton rides Convinced in the Blacktown Workers 2YO Maiden Plate (1300m), and Tim Clark has the mount on Starry in the Jazcom Thoroughbreds Benchmark 64 (1000m).
Convinced, a lightly-raced Not A Single Doubt colt, has taken on older horses when placed at his only two starts to date, and is back against his own age.
“It looks the right race for him,” Snowden said. “His two runs have been good, and he should be hard to beat.”
Convinced was a debut third to Constellations over 1300m at Newcastle on May 7 and 16 days later filled the same placing at Hawkesbury behind Ausfighter in another 1300m maiden.
Stablemate Oslo and Parlour have been withdrawn, leaving Convinced with 11 rivals.
Starry, a three-year-old filly by Exceed And Excel, followed two barrier trial placings with a first-up third toi Lagarde in a C1 (1000m) at Kembla Grange on May 20.
She again opposes Lagarde with a 2.5kg weight swing in her favour and has the better barrier.
The Snowdens also will be represented by another three-year-old filly Impetuoso (by Pierro) in the HRC Motel Class 2 Handicap (1500m).
“Impetuoso won over 1400m at Hawkesbury on May 9 and then ran fifth to Pandemonium over 1550m at Canterbury at her next start,” Snowden said.
“She is back slightly in distance, but definitely has a chance if she can get some luck from an awkward draw.”
Rival Hawkesbury trainer Matthew Vella will be keen to keep the Snowdens at bay with Bad Boy For Love, whom he prepares for the race sponsors Colin and Meagan Branthwaite, who operate Jazcom Thoroughbreds spelling and agistment farm at The Oaks.
Bad Boy For Love has started seven times for two wins and as many placings and has trialled twice – the latest when third to Terminology over 1045m at Randwick on May 31 – in preparation for his resumption.
