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Leading Hawkesbury trainer Scott Singleton forecast a bright staying future for Concessions after she had won on her home track on Wednesday.

The lightly-raced three-year-old clinched her second success from only five starts, giving local trainers three of the seven winners at the track’s first meeting of the year.

A daughter of Tickets, Concessions ($2.50 favorite) left her rivals with no excuses in the Ronald McDonald House Charities Benchmark 60 Handicap (1800m). She had to cart the field up to the tearaway front-runner Von Braun, but rider Jess Taylor still had something up her sleeve on straightening and the filly comfortably repelled her challengers. I’m Hector ($4.80) tried hard to run her down, but had to be content with second placing.

Singleton afterwards said he was confident Concessions would eventually handle 2400m, but that he had to manage her carefully: "She doesn’t carry a lot of condition, so I have to space her races,” he said.

A storm hit Hawkesbury earlier in the afternoon, but the track downgrade didn’t worry the trainer at all: “She won her Maiden here on a heavy track over 1600m last September,” he said.

Coincidentally, the third placegetter that day was subsequent surprise VRC Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit.

Fellow Hawkesbury trainers Mitch Newman and Mitchell Kearney also enjoyed successs with Garbhan and Lily’s Little Girl respectively.

Newman also predicted a good future for Casino Prince three-year-old Garbhan ($4.40 favorite), who gave away a tidy start before overpowering his rivals in the Richmond Marketplace Provincial & Country Maiden Handicap (1100m).

Rider Josh Parr said Garbhan didn’t appear to handle the wet ground early in the race, but was very strong at the finish:“I feel this horse will handle 1600m plus, and it’s great to win first-up with him for Sona Thoroughbreds, who have given me some nice horses,” Newman said.

Garbhan’s brilliant finish resulted in him leading home a Hawkesbury “first five”. Lattimer (Garry White), Jaxim (Singleton), Anne’s Gift (Karen Outtrim) and Itasca (Singleton) all finished behind him in that order.

Kearney praised apprentice Blaike McDougall after Lily’s Little Girl ($12) had outrun her rivals in the Eather Group Metropolitan & Provincial Maiden Plate (1500m).

“Blaike recommended I step her up in distance after he rode her when fourth over 1280m at Muswellbrook at her previous start,” Kearney explained. “He rode her cleverly out in front, judging the pace nicely.”

Lily’s Little Girl, a three-year-old daughter of Spinning World, never really looked under threat once she took up the running. She easily beat Madam Juror ($20) and Liffy ($4) to break through at her fifth start.

News courtesy - Hawkesbury Race Club

View the full results and video replays for Hawkesbury here