Successful return of TAB racing

MEMBERS of the Burdekin Race Club were kept busy in the lead-up to the return of TAB racing at the Home Hill Racetrack on Thursday, August 31.

With an eight-race program and excellent support from owners and trainers from throughout the north, many hours of volunteer work was contributed by members to ensure everything was ready for an excellent day of racing. 

Prior to the race meeting, Club President, Ricky Gudge urged members to lock in Sunday, August 26 for a working bee, with whipper-snipping being the “main focus” as well as a “neaten up” around the club buildings.

While a large crowd was not expected at the Thursday race meeting, club officials urged members to invite anyone they could to the meeting to try to boost crowd numbers.

That paid off as the crowd in and around the grandstand and in the betting ring was pleasing for the club’s first TAB meeting in some time.

However, numbers were down as expected, but so too were the numbers at other televised race days at week day race meetings.

The big difference was the appearance of television crews and interviewers with microphones talking to winning owners and trainers at the end of every race. 

The Home Hill parking area for horse transports was overflowing with various forms of transport of all sizes filling the area.

The number of races was increased from seven to eight because of the large number of nominations and it still resulted in emergencies on the fields including seven in race eight.

Home Hill trainer and Club President, Ricky Gudge was successful in the last race of the day with his eight-year-old gelding, Keighley Sun, which again showed its liking for the track on which it is trained, with a narrow win over Fudging (Ashley Butler) and Listen Listen (Scott Sheargold).

The victory also brought up a second win on the day for jockey Carl Spry, who was also successful on Our Heart Throb in the second race.

Race results:

Race 1: Barramundi Country Plate, 1000 metres

1. Forcesome (Scott Sheargold)
2. Risked It (Carl Spry)
3. Balexia (Tessa Townsend)

Time: 57.45

Race 2: Cape Upstart Plate: 1000 metres

1. Our Heart Throb (Carl Spry) 
2. Mount Margaret (Erin Molloy)
3. Laide (Nathan Day)

Time: 58.28

Race 3: Liquid Gold Plate: 1460 metres

1. Sonofthebeast (Fred Edwards)
2. Mista Omega (Scott Sheargold)
3. Lady Rain (Jeff Felix)

Time: 1-29.05

Race 4: Fields of Fire Handicap: 1460 metres

1. Love on Sunday (Adrian Layt)
2. Brad (Ashley Butler) 
3. Zouvilla (Pietro Romeo)

Time: 1-29.76

Race 5: Sweetest Town Handicap: 1830 metres

1. Sarnia (Erin Molloy)
2. Medal (Fred Edwards)
3. Recondite (Ashley Butler)

Time: 1-54.96

Race 6: Home Hill Handicap: 1000 metres

1. Midas Star (Pietro Romeo)
2. Our Addiction (Graham Kliese)
3. Always Written Off (Adrian Layt)

Time: 56.76.

Race 7: Sweet as Sugar Handicap: 1000 metres:

1. Boomshakalaka (Nathan Day)
2. Writtle (Adrian Layt)
3. Hallside Hammer (Rebecca Wilson)

Time: 56.36

Race 8: Silverlink Handicap Handicap: 1180 metres: 

1. Keighley Sun (C. Spry)
2. Fudging (Ashley Butler)
3. Listen