Kembla trainer Paul Murray’s bid to claim a hat-trick of Mollymook Cup wins with Chief In Command fell narrowly short on Sunday as Jason Coyle ended the family’s two year reign when his four-year-old Kawaikini saluted at the Shoalhaven City Turf Club.
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Kawaikini, ridden by Ms Kathy O'Hara, won by a-length from Murray’s two-time defending champion, which was forced to carry a massive 63kgs even after apprentice Patrick Scorse’s 3kg claim.
David Pfieffer’s De Kurnell, ridden Mitchell Bell, was a further 2-¼ lengths back in third but it was a 10 out of 10 ride from O’Hara that stole the top prize.
It capped off a sensational weekend for O’Hara, who just missed out on winning the Caulfield Cup on Saturday, with former Kembla Grange Classic winner Single Gaze running a gutsy second.
The Eddie Latta Memorial was taken out by jockey Peter Wells on Lisdoonvarna and is trained by Amanda Turner and Mario Poletti.
The Bede Murray Memorial was won by the Kembla trainer Stephen Hill’s Brother in Arms following a confident ride from Adrian Layt.
The Murray Family were on course to present the Aimer Racing Perpetual Trophy to Hill, who had been a friend of Bede's for a number of years.
Shoalhaven City Turf Club CEO Lynn Locke said Cup meeting was a success.
“It was a great day of racing with fantastic crowds,” she said.
“The racing was of a very high standard with three special races – the Eddie Latta Memorial, Bede Murray Memorial and the Mollymook Cup.”
Other winners on the day included Gary Portelli’s Dixie (1400m maiden plate), Garry Frazer’s Playard (1100m maiden plate), Luke and Rob Price’s First Courier (1600m benchmark 53 handicap) and Theresa Bateup’s Burden of Proof (1200m maiden handicap).
Ms Jess Taylor was a standout on the day, riding two winners.
Meanwhile, racing will return to Kembla Grange on Saturday as the Illawarra Turf Club expects a strong turn out with the Cox Plate set to be run in Melbourne.
- With Courtney Ward
