Scone’s premiership winners from last season were presented with their trophies at the meeting on Monday.
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Greg Bennett won the trainers’ premiership and started the new season with a double while Greg Ryan won the jockeys’ title.
Both were presented with their trophies by committee man Jeff Watt.
On the track, Scone apprentice Rachael Murray celebrated her return home to dominate the meeting and ride four winners, two for her former master Bennett and two for Bendemeer-based trainer Jane Clement.
Murray returned to Scone from Sydney three weeks ago at the invitation of Bennett to ride work for him and also to ride a percentage of the stable’s runners.
She spent two years with Bennett as an apprentice and won a premiership with him before going to Grahame Begg at Randwick to use her 3kg city claim.
Later, as a senior rider, she rode work for Darley but received few opportunities hence her decision to return to Scone.
Murray won the first race, the Where There’s A Will Maiden (900m) on Aritstograts and the final race, the Where There’s A Will Class Three (1100m) on Mossman’s Gold for Bennett and the Where There’s A Will Maiden (1100m) on Miss Zarelle and the Where There’s A Will Benchmark 60 (1300m) on Santiago for Clement.
Aristograts, the third foal out of Hairy which Bennett also trained, showed plenty of fight and determination despite his lack of size to win on debut.
Hairy won a Scone maiden on debut in November 2006, another six races after that including two at Listed level and $327,000 in prize money.
“Hairy was a little nugget with loads of heart and Aristograts is the same,” Bennett said.
“The good thing is he is raced by a syndicate of owners who are all new to racing.
“They are spread all over the place, some are up on the North Coast, some are local and some are in Sydney.
“This will be special for one of his owners, Lyle James who lives in Sydney.
“Lyle is ill with cancer, has just had a leg amputated and today is his birthday.”
Bennett was particularly pleased with the win by Mossman’s Gold.
Murray shot him out of an outside barrier to lead all the way and beat stable mate Conquer which was resuming from a lengthy spell.
“I have finally worked this horse out,” Bennett said.
“I tried stepping him up to 1600 metres but that didn’t work so I dropped him back to 1000 metres at Port Macquarie and he flew home.
“I have not done much with him since and he obviously likes to be kept fresh.”
