Toompang Racecourse came alive again last Saturday afternoon with the Burrangong Picnic Race Club conducting a very successful meeting that attracted a large crowd that were treated to some excellent racing in ideal conditions.
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The feature race of the day, run on a fast track, resulted in a win for the Canberra trained eight-year-old mare Liability Adjuster ($3.00) ridden by former local girl Samara Johnson.
Staring from gate five, Samara took the Doug Gorrell trained veteran of fifty five starts to the lead soon after gates opened and was able to lead throughout to defeat Mallee Able and Mr Burns by a convincing 1½ lengths and in doing so ran 1:22.43 seconds which was just outside the race record of 1:22.40 seconds set by Mighty Mickey set in 2004.
Samara who now resides in Canberra has been riding as an amateur for a number of years since graduating from the local dressage circuit. She has resisted a move to the more lucrative professional ranks and does not regret taking this path since an early decision to become a teacher, their loss is certainly our gain. Samara landed a winning double on the day with a polished ride on the $3.80 second favourite Sparkling Glow in race five for Canberra trainer John Rolfe. Starting from a wide gate, the Haradasun four year old mare proved too strong in a close finish to defeat Stato and topweight Zaphod with a ½ length margin and a club record time of 1:09.95 previously held by Dudley set in 1991.
Other winners on the day included Young Jackson ridden by Victorian jockey Toby Lake for Cootamundra trainer Richard Coulton. Toby had won the Lockhart Picnic Cup the day prior and was certainly riding in top form.
Race two went to Youthful Joe for George Wright of Parkes ridden by Ricky Blewitt who also had a successful day on Friday at Lockhart riding two winners.
Race four was taken out by the $8.00 chance Unshinkable who defeated Manatasse ridden by Samara Johnson with the flashy grey Attilious finishing third. Mop The Floor won the final race of the day starting at $4.00 and certainly sent punters home in a good mood no doubt.
