Evans, who has spent a life time preparing racing surfaces, took over after the departure of Reto Cadalbert to prepare the track for the two day cup carnival.

“The plan was for Bernie to get us through the carnival then we would advertise for a new curator,” the club’s chief executive officer Sarah Wills said.

“However Bernie did such a fantastic job leading up to the cup and has continued to do so since then that the committee had no hesitation in appointing him to the position permanently.”

Evans had had a life time of working on race courses, both metropolitan and provincial.

He was second in charge at Newcastle for many years before moving to Sydney as second in charge at Randwick before going to Warwick Farm as track manager.

Later he moved to Wyong as track manager before being co-opted to help the manager of track maintenance for Racing NSW, Dave Hodgson, repair and rejuvenate the track at Bathurst.

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More than 30 millimetres of rain this week has helped Evans put the finishing touches to the track for the return to racing at Scone next Friday.

The meeting will feature the Tarangower Handicap, an open over 1300 metres.

This will be the first meeting since August 3, allowing Evans time to rejuvenate the racing surface ready for spring.

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Rod Northam did his job with expensive mare Celebrities Choice when she won her maiden at Tamworth last week and the mare is now off to stud.

“She jarred up a little after the win so she will be retired now,” Northam said.

“She is a winner and city placed and a lovely mare so with her breeding she will do well at stud.”

Celebrities Choice cost Segenhoe Stud’s Kevin Maloney $450,000 as a yearling.

She was trained by Team Hawkes and ran two thirds at Canterbury and a third at Gosford before being sent to Northam with instructions to try and win a country maiden with her.

***

Meanwhile Northam’s two star gallopers, Myamira and Big Money, are back in work and both are headed to Melbourne for the spring.

Myamira, winner of the Group Three Belle Of The Turf at Gosford in January, a first up third in the Group Three Dark Jewel at Scone in May and a last start winner of the South Grafton Cup, will resume in the Group Three Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill on September 27 then go to Melbourne.

Big Money, the Country Champion Horse Of The Year, will go straight to Melbourne and resume in the Caulfield Sprint on Caulfield Cup day.

Big Money won four races from five starts last preparation including the Group Three Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm and the Listed Ramornie Hcp at Grafton.

“Both horses spelled really well and are progressing nicely but there is a long way to go before they resume,” Northam said.

“I like to send my horses to the paddock as winners because you know you haven’t gone to the bottom with them.”