A Collarenebri Cup win for hometown favourite Kelly Smith was not to be on Saturday when Peak Road finished a luckless second to Clint Lundholm’s Tupou in the 1400m bush feature.

Tupou ($6), ridden by Lundholm’s partner Zoe Hunt, jumped slowly before mustering speed to lead throughout.

“He was slow to begin but drove through and led pretty much all the way,” Lundholm said.

Tupou, winner of the Bedgerabong and Tottenham Picnic Cups earlier this year, is also owned by Lundholm.

The seven-year-old won by more than a length from Peak Road ($2.80fav) with Jane Clement’s Collie Cup winner Toulon Factor ($3.40) half-a-length away third.

“It’s good to see the horse turn his form around. He’s an older horse and has been going around at harder TAB meetings. We thought he was a nice chance today and he got the job done with a great ride by Zoe,” Lundholm said.

The trainer spoiled the party for popular Collarenebri horseman Kelly Smith, who trained runner-up Peak Road.

Peak Road settled in a rearward spot behind the pack and was held up for a run as the small field approached the home corner.

“I felt bad after the race. Kelly’s been trying to win his hometown cup for a long time, and I’ve knocked him off,” Lundholm said.

The Dubbo trainer hopes to start Tupou in the $50,000 Picnic Championship Final at Coonamble on October 13.

“I think he’ll be right on the borderline to get a run, though. That race is coming up pretty quick – about four weeks away – and the point-score is finished,” Lindholm said.

“I thought winning those two cups (Bedgerabong and Tottenham) would get him in, but he might be an emergency at this stage, so I’ll just have to wait and see.”

Lundholm and Hunt teamed up earlier in the day to win the 1000m Willis Family BM-50 Handicap with My Oddette, a mare the trainer also part-owns.

“We brought three horses out and got two winners and a second, so it’s been a good day,” he said.

For Kelly Smith, who also finished second in his hometown cup in 2017 with Cool Rules, there’s always next year.

“We can only hope,” he despaired.

Meanwhile, Armidale trainer Jane Clement continued her run of winners with another double.

Clement teamed up with apprentice Shannen Llewellyn to win with Sippity Sip and tough old campaigner Hardyo.

The double comes on the back of Clement’s two winners at Moree on Fathers’ Day – Extreme Merger and Moree Cup winner, Macleay.

Llewellyn, apprenticed to Brett Robb at Dubbo, is also on a roll.

The two-kilo claimer rode a double at Mendooran the previous Saturday and a midweek winner at Muswellbrook.

“Shannen is riding well at the moment, but I have to thank my daughter, Dana Nock as well,” Clement said.

“Dana is a great asset to the team, with the horses always turning up on point on race-day and Kirsty Formosa did a great job strapping after the Armidale meeting was abandoned,” she said.

Words: Bill Poulos

Images courtesy of Janian McMillan from www.racingphotography.com.au and Zoe Hunt