Full results for Woolamai 11th January 2009. View the days happenings at the Gallery.
Report Healesville 10th January 2009
I guess there is nothing like bad publicity if the recent crowds in attendance at the picnic races are anything to go by. Since the Racing Victoria review hit the press places such as Dederang, Merton and today at Healesville they have all had record crowds. I expect this is a bit of a voice from the public saying they support and want to continue to see picnic racing thrive. The pictures below show clearly that the public love Picnic Racing and are voting with their feet !!
  
The Healesville Cup meeting attracted good fields and we saw some very competitive racing. Race 1 went to the fast finishing Chuckawheely ridden by Shane McGovern and trained by Jason Ashby who also trains the successful Blackbook. A big drifter in the market from $5-00 to $15-00 the horse looked hopeless just before the turn but stormed home down the outside to defeat the $2-80 favourite Waldo Flyer.
Race 2 was a tricky affair on paper as we saw a small field contest the longer distance of 2350m. As expected Bottle took up the pace and the eventual winner Multijet at $4-20 settled nicely in second place. Ridden a treat by the ever improving Leigh Taylor the Michael Quadara trained galloper finished off the race well from the consitent Jack's Palace who ground away into second place at $2-80 favourite.
  
Xaarsky repeated its effort of last season where it won second up from a spell. Jumped straight to the front by Leigh Taylor the Reg Manning trained 6yo mare had the race in its keeping a long way out at the good price of $6-00. The well backed favourite Uncle Ed ridden by Adam Bodey never gave a yelp and finished well back.
The ever consistent Gunnagetit won yet again to make it 4 wins from its last 5 starts, with the losing run being to the very smart Megaton. Kane Harris settled the 6yo gelding nicely behind the pace and let it go just before the turn to give them something to chase but none of them were up to it today. Neil Robb is having a cracker of a season with this horse and Jack's Palace winning seven races between them.
The Healesville Cup went to another consistent galloper in Purge at $4-00 favourite. On paper it looked like Cousins Triumph and Leica Reason would cut each other up in front and set this race up for whoever followed and that is exactly what happened. Those two horses went out hard and Purge secured the perfect trail behind them both to sweep to the front on rounding the turn and win well. The horse changed trainer to Rodney Hammond this season and apart from a disappointing run on a heavy track at Healesville when favourite this horse has been placed in all six picnic starts and won three this season. Purge also won the Pakenham Cup on New Years Day and don't be surprised to see it line up in the Balnarring Cup.
|
