HORSE RACING
By LIAM DURKIN
PERFECT spring weather greeted racegoers at Moe Racing Club last Sunday.
The meeting was the club’s major fundraiser for Latrobe Regional Health.
While much of the attention rightly went on cancer care fundraising activities away from the track, a seven-race card still played out on a Good 4.
Racegoers retreated inside or to the shade in the half-four intervals between races, as the afternoon sun carried a fair bit of bite.
The warm weather did not deter some from putting their dancing shoes on in the grandstand, with DJ Mariano of Fancy Disco providing some staple classics.
Others enjoyed the hospitality of the newly refurbished (although still yet to be fully completed), Hillside Pavilion. The deck on the pavilion has been extended, and offers premium viewing of the track.
Hydration was key as temperatures reached a top of 26 degrees around 4pm.
The local member had everyone’s back however, with the Martin Cameron drinking fountain on course.
Racing.com’s Gemma Rielly meanwhile (on break from her regular duties in the mounting yard), needed a Red Bull to get through her emcee duties at the main pink day function.
The rail was out six metres the entire circuit.
Cameron sponsored a race, the Race 3 Martin Cameron MP Maiden Plate over 1600 metres.
Six-year-old mare I’mfallinforyou came from seventh at the 400 metre mark to win for Cranbourne trainer Dennis Julius.
Three-year-old gelding Nickibi started the meeting by winning the Race 1 Weblease Community Champions 3YO Maiden Plate (1200m).
He won by just under a length for the peculiarly alliterated Cranbourne stable of Ken and Kasey Keys.
Mongolian Hero, for Moe trainer Peter Gelagotis, ridden by Trafalgar jockey Jason Maskiell, came fourth.
Go Maggie Mae justified its favouritism by winning the Race 2 Energy Australia Maiden Plate (1100m).
The three-year-old filly was scratched from Cranbourne on Friday night, presumably in the hope of an easier win at Moe a couple days later.
While Mick Price and Michael Kent got the job done in the end, they had to hold off Zouie, trained by Moe locals Paul and Tracey Templeton, in a tight finish.
Frank Express did its name justice, winning the Race 4 Gippsland Motor Group BM56 Handicap (2050m).
The seven-year-old gelding closed strongly to win by a length for Cranbourne’s Tony Rosolini.
In a bizarre coincidence, the jockey, Liana Wood, rode a horse named Frank. Moe footballer Jacob Wood’s nickname is Frank.
Squazeemoto easily won the Race 5 O&M Services 0-56 Handicap (1000m), leading from 800m out to get home by a length-and-a-half. The win gave Julius a training double.
The Templetons got on the podium again, in the Race 6 Valley Motor Group 0-56 Handicap (1200m).
Their six-year-old gelding Mont Saint Michel was no match however for the Troy Kilgower-trained Elly Dee.
Race 7 saw a mad dash to the line, with the top three all finishing within a length of each other.
Punters were left similarly scrambling just before the race, after $2.60 favourite Spirit Angel was a late scratching.
Cable De Vega ended up winning, ensuring victory for Pakenham’s Michael Huglin.
Fittingly, the last race of the meeting was named the Peter Craighead Memorial 0-56 Handicap (1600m), after the late Latrobe Regional Health Chief Executive. Craighead, who died last June, served as LRH chief executive from 2008 to 2021.
With every passing meeting held in perfect conditions at Moe Racing Club, all are hoping it serves as a sign of things to come for the biggest meeting of the year.
Said meeting, the Moe Cup, will be held Sunday, November 15.
The first Gippsland cup will be run this Sunday (October 25) at Sale Turf Club.
Latrobe Valley Racing Club (Glenview Park, Traralgon) has its Derby Day meeting on Saturday, October 31.
