Racing

Moruya Jockey Club

Lockhart's Jackson Strong became the most dominant rider in Moto X Best Trick History after winning at the X Games at Chiba, Japan, last month ... "Everyone’s been riding amazing tonight. I’m glad I was able to get the trick I’ve been practising...": Jackson Strong.

Narrandera reinsman Blake Jones has been a dominant force in the Riverina for quite some time and in the final race at Wagga last week the talented horseman achieved a significant goal in his driving career. Jones brought up his 1000th winner aboard the Bernie Kelly-trained Waratah Lou.

Andrew O'Toole. A record crowd of 600 racegoers converged on Hagan Park last Saturday for a tremendous day of racing action at the annual Two Cup Race Day held by the Tennant Turf Club ... Some 500 enthusiasts paid at the gate, and a host of sponsors, staff, owners, trainers, jockeys and stablehands combined to witness a tremendous day of racing action...

With two recent victories on the north coast under his belt, October Revolution is poised for further success in the Steeline Handicap at Port Macquarie on Tuesday ... The race meeting is a wonderful opportunity to recognise two remarkable local personalities in the shape of Kerrie Borger and Margaret De Gonneville.

Trainers, horses and jockeys from far and wide will converge on the Barkly for the Tennant Turf Club’s annual Two Cup Race Day on Saturday ... Some six races make up the card, with the first race getting underway at 1.01pm, while the last of the half-dozen, the $30,000 Ladbrokes & Remote Concrete NT Tennant Creek Cup over 1600m, will jump at 4.06pm.

Charles Sturt University academics are collaborating on an international project to investigate how racehorses express positive emotions in their interaction with humans. Researchers from Charles Sturt, EITITe PÅ«kenga in New Zealand and Hartpury University in the United Kingdom have secured funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) Equine Welfare Foundation for the three-year study.

Quill. They say that a change is as good as a holiday, and it certainly was refreshing to visit Warracknabeal Turf Club for the race meeting initially scheduled for Donald on Saturday. It was my first visit to this track and I was impressed by the warm welcome and hospitality, as well as the relaxed atmosphere at the slightly smaller facility. Though smaller in size than neighbouring Donald, the track was in exceptional condition, rated a good 4, and was a credit to track manager, Jake Jesse.

Bringing a new life into the world is always a special moment, and for Michael Dickson the opportunity to foal down a mare for the first time is a favourite memory. “It all went so well. That life came into the world and I was the only one assisting – I really enjoyed that”: Michael Dickson.

Donald and district racegoers and the wider racing community were devastated by the sudden loss of beloved jockey, Dean Holland, following an horrific fall during the opening race on Monday.

Local riders Riley Bloom and his best mate Layne Klippel scooped the pool at the Holbrook Motorcycle Sports Club ‘Leaping Logs’ competition on the weekend. Riley took out 1st place in the Junior Senior class, very closely followed by Layne in a memorable finish for the pair.

Cootamundra Picnic Race Club

Gingin trainer Sue Olive says she has asked jockey Joseph Azzopardi to ride Blue Lagoon in the Group 2 Amelia Park-Karrakatta Plate (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday, April 15. Olive is backing up Blue Lagoon after he finished second in the Mrs Mac’s Plate (1000m) on April 8.

Donald Racing Centre held its first meeting for 2023, on Sunday, March 26. On the day, two women apprentice jockeys celebrated success with a win each in races five and six.

Back O Bourke Picnic Race Club

The heat was on at the Ardlethan Picnic Races on Saturday and trainer, Connie Greig, was on fire with a trifecta in the Cup. The brilliant team of Greig and jockey Leandro Ribeiro saw Valadyum cross the line of the 1600m Nutrien Ag Solutions Ardlethan Picnic Race Cup, half a length in front of Inzagh ridden by Breanna Bourke, and Merdeka, ridden by Sally Faulks, both also trained by Connie Greig.

Not even jet lag ... could distract Grafton’s busiest and most determined eight-year-old from putting her foot down and kick-starting her 2023 racing season with three podium finishes earlier this month ... After finishing third in both races in her Stock Polaris RZR 200, Ruby decided to drive her Polaris Off-Road RZR 570 to familiarise herself with her new vehicle under race conditions in the Endurance Race, and was happy to cross the finish line in second place.

While spectators are used to watching youngsters mounted on their ponies doing all sorts of things, pony trots is attracting more and more young drivers. Pony trots is for children aged six to 17 years old with ponies who are no bigger than 13hh in height, and the races are conducted at meetings in the same way as the big guns.

Midway through the Towong Cup on Elveena, apprentice jockey, Hannah Edgley, was thinking how lucky she was that the horse’s trainer Ben Brisbourne was not on track as the five-year-old mare ($4.60) travelled wide at the rear of the field ... "All I could think of during the run was the spray I was going to get from Ben": Hannah Edgley laughed.

With the benefit of a strong performance at Tamworth last month, Athena Nyx is set to bounce back to the winner’s circle in the Class 2 Handicap on Master Builders Association Race Day at Port Macquarie on Friday. The flashy chestnut broke her maiden status with a comprehensive victory over Civil War at the north west circuit last September and then doubled down when accounting for Champagne Tastes at Beaudesert a fortnight later.

Pingrup Racing Club

With no thanks to the Animal Justice Party, all Victorian racetracks, race meetings, trial meetings and racing precincts just got safer. The recent passing in the Victorian Parliament of the Racing Amendment Bill 2022 prohibits the unauthorised access to these places and events and any acts that make them unsafe ... Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, said the legislation targeting the radical, animal rights activists, was overdue.