Lane and Roper chasing late double at Dubbo meeting
By John Schell
Wyong trainer Damien Lane and talented apprentice Anna Roper will combine at Dubbo on Sunday in the last two events of the day.
Roper, who has emerged this season as one of the leading apprentices on Sydney tracks, will partner the Lane-trained Canamble in the Total Diesel Repairs Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000m) and Bare To Witness in the Inland Petroleum Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000m).
Apprentice jockey Anna Roper.Credit: Getty Images
Canamble, which hasn’t raced since finishing third at Nowra in December, is resuming from a spell and has won two from two when first-up. He scored on debut at Coonamble back in March of last year and then won again when returning from a break at Dubbo in October.
Lane gave Canamble a recent trial at Newcastle on the Beaumont track where he finished second behind his stablemate Bare To Witness. Grace Palmer was in the saddle on Canamble in the trial, while Aaron Bullock was aboard Bare To Witness.
Roper takes over the reins on Bare To Witness at Dubbo, and that galloper also resumes from a spell. Bare To Witness is unbeaten from two starts at Dubbo and won at his only start over the 1000m at the track.
Roper was on Bare To Witness when he resumed from a spell to score at Dubbo in September, 2023. He hasn’t raced since December last year when he finished seventh of eight at Mudgee.
Roper has another ride at Dubbo on the Kylie Kennedy prepared Shipshape in the Hello Sport Handicap Benchmark 82 Handicap (1200m).
Shipshape fought on well for a last-start fourth at Mudgee last month behind Deion.
Meanwhile, Bullock will have his usual strong book of rides at Dubbo, starting with the Alison Smith-trained D’Oro Choice in the Signvision Dubbo Benchmark 58 Handicap (2200m).
Pressnell resumes from a spell for trainer Mack Griffith in the Robertson’s Motorcycles/Kubota Australia Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1000m) with Bullock to ride while he is on Wendouree and Artelimar in races four and five. He rounds out the day in the final three events on Imasuperstar, Cumnock and Parmenio.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au