A day of extreme weather conditions, to say the least, greeted participants last Friday afternoon when the Young Harness Racing Club conducted an eight race program.
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Two heats of $10,000 each were conducted for finals to be held at Menangle on August 30.
Racing opened under threatening skies, with a two-year-old event over 1720 metres.
Recent reports around the traps that Narrandera trainer Shaun Snudden had secured a handy two-year-old filly from the Scott Woodhouse stable in Wagga was certainly spot on when Cams Victories was sent out a $2.10 favourite.
Having trialled well at Wagga for her new owners, the Million Dollar Cam filly was having only her ninth start for her new connections, indications in running were that the information was correct with her being allowed to roll along in front for most of the journey.
Unfortunately for her backers, she broke on the turn into the straight at the 200 metre mark, allowing Ray Walker to take Lorna Ella ($3.90) to the lead and in doing so giving the Ponder filly her third win from only five starts with Official Jasper ($11.60) and Irish Shenanigans ($6.50) filling the minor placings with a creditable 2:01.6 mile rate recorded to the winner.
The second race was aptly named an encouragement stakes and Murringo trainer Nathan Hoy received plenty of encouragement over the final stages from the crowd when he “stormed” home behind the Christian Cullen gelding Sabroso ($10.70) to defeat Lady Royal Tee ($16.70) and Striptease Dancer ($44.50).
The winning mile rate of 2:00.4 was a creditable performance for the winner who had last greeted the judge almost 12 months ago at Penrith when driven by Michael Towers, the record books now showing two wins from 24 starts.
The two favourites in the race Somart ($3.30) and Smokin Tally ($3.80) finished at the tail.
Trainer Shaun Snudden quickly bounced back following his earlier defeat when Leigh Sutton drove a copy book race on the well supported Horizon Guy ($2.40) in race three.
Sitting third at the bell behind the early leader Modern Monty, the Union Guy three-year-old finished strongly to record a head winning margin over McQueen Regal ($2.60) and the Nathan Hurst-trained Tulhurst Paddy ($9.30) who ran home strongly from second last at the bell.
A mile rating of 2:01.5 was constant with times throughout the early part of the eight race program.
Horizon Guy is another new addition to the stable, having had only three starts prior, two of those being unplaced runs at Geelong and Melton when driven by Craig Demmler.
Consistently was the buzz word again when the Snudden, Sutton combined in race four with Canberra owned Lilylane ($3.50) showed improved racing manners to take out race four.
Breaking on the turn after hold a commanding lead at Young at her last start, but still winning by a convincing margin, the daughter of the Frank and Sue O’ Sullivan-owned Stature mare Jackie One was on her best behaviour in defeating Master Macca ($2.50) and the Kim Hillier-trained A Little Bit Frosty ($4) in a mile rate of 2:01.7.
She now has won four races for her owners who are regular supporters of the APG Sales in Sydney and could well be an edition to their breeding portfolio.
Favourite backers were again rewarded in race five when Narrandera trainer-driver David Kennedy gave last start Parkes winner Eagles Ace ($2) a beautiful run in the outside line to account for The Matrix ($11) and the Garth Hoy pole marker Scentello ($16.70).
Recording a comfortable winning margin and a mile rate of 2:01.6, the win was impressive enough to suggest more are on the way for the Aces N Sevens lightly raced gelding.
It would be fair to say that a sigh of relief could be heard over the course when Attorney Stride ($1.30) bounced back to the winners circle following three frustrating placings since his win at Wagga on July 4.
The draw allowed Amanda Turnbull to go straight to the lead, albeit under shocking weather conditions that prevailed during the running of the race, and set a solid tempo with final two quarters of 29.5 and 29.5 a mile rating of 1:59.5.
Stable mate Lagoon Stride ($6.10), who is owned in the same interests, E & M Stride, finished strongly over the concluding stages with Champion Miss ($14) claiming third money.
A fitting equal distribution of prizemoney to all starters would have been a just reward, given the appalling weather conditions that prevailed throughout the race, (just a joke).
Ten starters took to the track in race seven, the first of the $10,000 feature races, with the inclement weather still playing havoc with organisers.
There was no greater track-side support and excitement than when the locally-trained OK Alright ($10.90) arrived just in time - half a head - to secure a road trip to Menangle later this month in defeating the Bernie Hewitt-trained favourite Trikala ($2) and outsider Bohemian Art ($103.10).
Given the ideal sit in running behind the leader, driver Michael Day Jr. was at his best in securing a last minute run for the recently purchased Rollon Bigred $2,000 claimer.
Finishing fourth at Menangle at her last start, the Peter Hansen-trained mare appears to have a bright future, both on the track and in the breeding barn, being from the Smooth Falcon mare Unquote.
The final race of the day did not disappoint those who stayed for the second feature race of the evening.
Georges Plains trainer Bernie Hewitt secured his place in the final of the Country Series at Menangle with an impressive win behind Magic Franco ($2.10) with a bold front running display handed in by the Joe Cordina owned Modern Art four-year-old gelding who has now won eight races for his dedicated owners.
Surprisingly the resuming Pitlochry ($3.60) was sent out second favourite, finishing second, despite not having raced since June 2013 when fifth at Menangle before going to the spelling paddock.
Third placing was awarded to Usher ($18.30) who ran an eye catching race coming from sixth at the bell and the winner posting a slick 1:58.5 under very ordinary race conditions, weather wise.
The Young club will now look forward to their twilight meeting this Saturday, August 9.