Purchased last year by the Molloy family from Cowra, the seven year old gelding Welcome Art more than recouped the outlay when winning on Saturday the $27,000 Gilgandra Sporting Club Gilgandra Cup.
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Welcome Art won the 2019 Cowra Cup for trainer Andrew Molloy and remained in his stable after the then owners decided later to sell.
In a real family affair, Welcome Art is raced by Andrew Molloy's wife April, his father Bill, his sister Katie, his brother Bob, the family doctor Dr John Mclaren and stablehand Rory Nelson.
Fifteen minutes before the running of the Cup, trainer Andrew Molloy received the news his brother Allan Molloy had just driven a winner at a harness racing meeting in Vancouver, Canada where Allan has been a successful trainer-driver for 12 years.
Allan has driven over 100 winners, many of them at the Fraser Downs track.
At Gilgandra on Saturday Penny's Bonitas and Outta Space set the pace from A Magic Zariz in the 1550 metres Cup with Welcome Art racing in a midfield position for Dubbo jockey Ken Dunbar.
Carrying the 61kg top weight, A Magic Zariz ( Clayton Gallagher, $5) took the lead turning for home and although fighting hard was overhauled and beaten a half length by the $7.50 chance Welcome Art.
Greg Ryan who had already ridden an incredible 10 Gilgandra Cup winners finished third on Chuck 'N' Paul ($7) however he managed a winning double on the Brett Cavanough, Scone trained Pure Faith ( $1.55 favourite ) and the locally trained Bid To Fame.
Veteran trainer Bruce Parker from Gilgandra puts the polish on Bid To Fame which led throughout for a convincing win over Kiwicod (Michael Heagney, $7) and Happy Partner( Tiffany Jeffries, $5.50) in the 1550 metres Gilgandra Services Club Coo-EE Cup Class 2 Handicap.
The 1280 metres Tooraweenah Cup ( Benchmark 50 ) proved a triumph for Gilgandra trainer Bryan Dixon and his track specialist Sugar Lane.
Brilliantly ridden by the Bathurst based Chelsea Ings, Sugar Lane ( $11) overcame the outside barrier to lead all the way when beating Squared (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $9.50) and the $3.20 favourite Drummed Out (Clayton Gallagher).
Sugar Lane has now recorded 4 wins and 2 placings from 8 starts at Gilgandra.
Chelsea Ings was also responsible for a top ride when from the outside barrier she led from start to finish on the Graeme Brooker, Coonabarabran trained Bowie's Boy($10) to win the Bryson Luff Citizen Of The Year Class 1 Handicap (800 metres).
