In a thrilling finish, the Dongwha Timbers 2014 Bombala Cup was won by Ultima Chance ($3.40 fav) trained at Goulburn by Scott Collings and ridden by Roly Saxton. 

Jumping from the outside barrier in the seven horse field, Saxton looked intent on leading however proved content to be second in running when another horse kicked up on the rail.

Eventually Ultima Chance took the lead uncontested at the 500 metres mark.

Meanwhile, the top­weight Baldovino ($4.20) with Tash Burleigh aboard was in hot pursuit while Carly Frater commenced to stoke up Back To Zero ($4.00) from the 300 metres and was the widest on entering the straight.

In the last 50 metres Saxton needed to ride with extreme vigour as Baldovino was gaining with every stride.

Saxton’s experience seemingly proved the difference when he urged Ultima Chance to prevail by a head margin from Baldovino ($4.20) and with Back To Zero ($4.00) in third placing a length behind. 

The trainer Collings commenced riding as a Bombala school boy for trainers Bradley Matthews and the late Lou Black before commencing a jockey’s apprenticeship with Ken Callaghan at Capricorn Park near Murrumbateman.

He was later to ride for Barbara Joseph. 

He rounded out his riding career at the picnic races before taking up training.

He trains Ultima Chance for owners Michael and “Pat” Leahy, EJ Smith and Debbie Card, the horse’s strapper.

The horse has now won win six races, three of those in the last six weeks, and was the winner of the 2013 Adaminaby Cup, a race he will also likely contest in late November.

Race 1 on Saturday was the RSL Club, Calabria Wines & Landmark Maiden Hcp over 900 metres and was taken out by Woodcutter Girl ridden by S Shimizu for Traralgon trainer Robert Lont.

Woodcutter Girl was third in running up the hill behind the pacemakers but proved too strong to come away to win by a 1/2 length from Springwood Lass, trained by Scott Collings for Amanda Collings and Gary Moreing, and with a further 1/2 length to Magic Rose in third placing.

Race 2 was the Wilton Logging Pty Ltd & Village Ford Maiden Plate over 1200 metres and saw veteran jockey Kevin Sweeney make it look easy, jumping from barrier one on Patagonia Belle($5) to lead all the way for an effortless win. 

It was just under 2 lengths back to Yeeha ($2.30fav),ridden by Roly Saxton, and Whispering Bec ($9) was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third. Patagonia Belle is trained in Canberra by Gratz Vella.

Race 3 was the Boco Rock Wind Farm Benchmark 45 Hcp over 1400 metres and saw six runners head to the barriers.

In another keenly contested event, Summer Duck Wood ($2.60), trained by John Peiti at Moruya and ridden by Roly Saxton, proved a little too strong to nail Short Stay ($5), ridden by apprentice Miki Nakao, right on the line to prevail by a head margin from Sea ‘N’ Believe three lengths in arrears.

The Merimbula Lake Oysters, Monaro Wool & Shute Bell Benchmark 45 Hcp over 1100 metres was Race 4 and had a maximum field of ten runners. 

The Bairnsdale visitor Ballydoyle led the field a merry dance into the Bombala hill while the eventual winner Kaboombie Boy ($6.50) settled in third. 

On entering the straight, jockey Jason Devrimol navigated Kaboombie around the leaders and down the middle of the track for an unimpeded journey to the winning post. 

He prevailed by just under two lengths from Our Cracker ($4.40 fav), ridden by Carly Frater, and with Fast Money a further 2 1/2 lengths back in third placing.

The winner is trained at Queanbeyan by Garry Clarke for PV Newton.

The Murphy’s Transport & Building Supplies­Lou Black Memorial Class1 and Maiden Plate over 1700 metres was the last race on the day and attracted a field of nine runners who started in the straight in front of the crowd. 

On barrier rise Mamiya scooted across to lead from the outside gate whilst Carly Frater aboard the favourite Given No Hope ($2.50) was perhaps a little further back in running than what she planned pre­race subsequent to some scrimmaging before the first turn. 

Nonetheless, the promising apprentice bided her time back in the field and, after the pace slackened mid race, she positioned herself on the rail just behind the leaders on entering the straight. 

As the leaders left the rail as they straightened, Frater drove Given No Hope through the gap to go to the lead and stuck on in a fighting finish over Kamiya, ridden by Jason Devrimol for Queanbeyan trainer Joe Cleary and with Starcrazy, ridden by Deane Panya for Darryl Rolfe from Canberra, back in third. 

The winner, raced by Peter and Barbara Joseph along with her sons Paul and Matt Jones, is well bred being by Redoutes Choice from Patou, a mare formerly trained by Mrs Joseph to win eight races and to be placed at listed level. 

The win by Given No Hope of the race named in honour of the late Lou Black was a special one for the owners as they recalled their relationship with him over their lifetimes.

As they celebrated their win, the group raised their glasses to the memory of their mate “Black”, as he was affectionately known, a gentleman and a very good horseman who trained numerous winners from the backyard of his home at Bombala over multiple decades. 

His recent passing marked the end of an era for his generation of trainers in the south east racing area of NSW.

While the racing was exciting and a great spectacle on Saturday, the danger for the jockeys involved is ever present. 

With the deaths of jockeys Caitlin Forrest and Carly-Mae Pye in race falls during the preceding week in South Australia and Queensland respectively, jockeys across Australia on Saturday wore black arm bands, and at Bombala a minute’s silence was taken, as a mark of veneration for these two female jockeys who at the time of their death were in the prime of their chosen career.