Just turned 60-year-old jockey Robert Thompson grabbed three wins, including the Wingham Services Club Wingham Cup (1600m), and Port Macquarie hoop Ben Looker’s double, taking him to 87 season wins, included the inaugural Wingham Services Club Corey Brown Cup (1300m).

Thompson rode Gosford trainer Ken Parker’s four-year-old gelding Invicta ($4.40) to a just under a length victory in the Wingham Cup from Port’s Dixie Lad ($8.50), trained by Neil Godbolt, after hatching a plan about a month ago to target the race.

“Robert knows the horse…it goes to sleep and comes home good,” Parker said of the galloper he bought out of the paddock for $10,000.

“Invicta won the Cessnock Cup last preparation and I think he might get 1800m in the city.”

Thompson said Invicta “let down good, but no more than a mile next please.”

Race club CEO Brian Leggett said at the presentation:”It is fantastic to see so many people here and to have full fields for all races.”

Wingham Services Club president Harry Rider said his club was happy to support the cup and he hoped to again do so next year.

Brown looked a likely winner of his race at the top of the straight when he swept to the front on Warwick Farm gelding Explosive Scene but at the winning post he was fifth, just behind Kerrin McEvoy’s mount Unbridled Power, and only a length from winner three-year-old local gelding Blinkin Artie ($10 to $6.50), ridden close to the speed on the fence by Looker for trainer Ross Stitt who is on an European holiday.

Stable representative Gary Coleman said:”This is a big win under 62kgs for a very small horse…a brilliant ride.”

Looker said Blinkin Artie “has an attitude but you just go with him.” He was full of praise for Brown as: “I was taken under his wing and learned a lot with him in Sydney about 10 years ago.”

Grafton Race Club CEO Michael Beattie, representing sick owner Errol French, said that while he was a steward he and Brown had “hot-heated and harmony times” in the steward’s room whereas Brown, an apprentice jockey from Wingham, spoke of being highly honoured by Manning Valley Race Club’s gesture to name a cup after him following his Melbourne Cup win on Rekindling.

Thompson’s other wins were on four-year-old mare Island Grange ($6), trained at Wyong by Les Tilley for a syndicate of owners headed by Harrington’s Fred Elmer in the Winning Post Function Centre Class 1 Showcase Handicap over 1250m and Lope De Lope for Port trainer Jenny Graham in the Lauders Real Estate Wingham Handicap over 1600m.

Looker’s other winner, Jemily ($9.50) is owned by a syndicate headed by Peter White from North Haven, and came from the rear to score by just under a length to give newcomer Port trainer Matthew McCudden his fourth winner in just over a month.

Another Port trainer, Neil Godbolt, combined with jockey Terry Treichel, to land two- year-old filly Taken On Chance ($3.20) which was mostly in the leading division to score by a half length in the Businessmen’s Association Race Day 8 June Showcase Handicap over 1250m.

The filly is owned by Godbolt’s wife, Maxine and their daughter, Alison, her husband Simon Thompson, son of jockey Robert Thompson, also in celebration in having his 36^th  birthday on race day.

McEvoy’s light plane being late resulted in the jockey not being able to ride Gosford gelding Traumatised ($2.2)), trained by Kristen Buchanan in the Become A Race Club Member Maiden Showcase Plate over 1000m, the ride going to Jeff Kehoe who had no trouble in winning by just over 1.5 lengths.

Coffs Harbour trainer Aiden St Vincent had his first win at the track with mare Polly A Dor ($12) in the $40,000 Australian Hotel Wingham Country Maiden Showcase Handicap over 1400m.

Racing returns to Bushland Drive Racecourse, Taree, for another TAB meeting conducted by Manning Valley Race Club on Friday.