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By Doug Ryan

A win by local gelding Chamisal in the Wingham Services Club Wingham Cup (1600m) at Taree on Monday will add to celebrations for 88th birthdays and the impending birth of another girl for four generations of family for the Laurieton owners.

For nearly 60 years Jan Tate and her husband Kelly have found immense pleasure in training and owning racehorses, one of them being the five-year-old Chamisal, in which their family 'girls' all have a share.

Chamisal in winning form at Port Macquarie

The gelding, bought for $40,000, has kept them "loving racing" with country cup wins and placings and they hope Port trainer John Sprague and jockey Raymond Spokes can add to that by winning with Chamisal.

It would be a timely celebration with Kelly turning 88 next Monday, Jan joining him in October and part-owner - "one of the girls" - Lucy Gray due to have a baby girl in the next fortnight.

"It would be wonderful to win on Monday because we love racing and the Taree track," Jan said. She has 12 grandchildren, mostly girls, and racing and horses give them much enjoyment

Major cup races are difficult to win with gallopers coming from different districts, but Jan and John are happy with Chamisal's form.

At his second run from a spell, Chamisal was a two-length fourth after leading up the hill at Casino over 1400m in the Beef Week Cup last week.

"It was a good run and he should be ready to show his best," Jan added.

Trainer Sprague has his charge firing and should be near its top and could emulate its win in the Krambach Cup over 1600m in October last year and placings in the Kempsey and Sawtell Cups when second on both occasions.

Port trainer Tas Morton is keen on the chances of his five-year-old gelding Acoustix, which has had a solid foundation in provincial class races: "Acoustix's work was enormous this week and instead of going to Newcastle he will be at Taree.''

A win and a close second in 1600m races at Taree at its last two starts has five-year-old gelding Done Good firing for owner-trainer John Cooper from Wyong: "My horse missed the jump a bit last start and he has done well since,'' he said,

Taree trainer Tony Ball's starter, five-year-old gelding Senatorial was scratched from a race at Port last week when it appeared to hurt itself in the stable, but all has been good since: "He is ready to go,'' he said of the winner of three races at Taree.

There are some pretty handy 'milers' in the field. One of them, Taree six-year-old Texas Storm, trained by Bob Milligan, is in sensational form, winning its last two races on the track to make it four wins at home from its five victories.

Bob's son, Glen, said that in nine starts this campaign "Texas Storm has been terrific among some good horses".

"In the past, he has been a little suspect at 1600, but if he is ever going to run the mile he should do so on his home track," Glen added. "Ashley Morgan has won on our horse in those two Taree wins and he is again the jockey.

"At his last run at Scone ($90,00 Country Cup over 1400 metres when fourth) he was three-deep and had no luck."

The club will have seven races up for decision, with the first underway from 12.50pm. Last on the program will be the Corey Brown Cup of 1000m at 4.25pm, where Ross Stitt's Fair Dinkum will be the topweight.

EACH-WAY SELECTIONS
Race 4, No.10 - Atlantic Lite
Race 5, No.4 - Alastor
Race 6, No.2 - Chamisal

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree here