Crowd salutes Emmie Racegoers erupt in joy
IT could not have been more fitting on Seniors Day when one of Central Australian racing’s senior trainers, Emmie Wehr, claimed victory in Race 3 with her 10-year-old gelding Urban Bourbon.
Urban Bourbon fell in to win by a half head over a looming Nic Nac in the Kathy’s Place Bed and Breakfast Handicap (1200m).
Rider Sonja “Super” Wiseman was stoked with the result, saying she was “amazed with the response this horse winning brought to the track.”
“Emmie has earned so much respect in the decades she has been involved in racing and it certainly showed with the reception we all received returning to scale,” Wiseman said.
The crowd rejoiced with several trainers and racegoers making the extra effort to get to Wehr and congratulate her on another victory.
Shampers continued its run of success for trainer Will Savage and jockey Barry Huppatz by making it a three-win streak in the opening feature, the National Seniors Day Handicap (1200m).
None So Bright finally broke its maiden status for Lisa Whittle in Race 2 and Next Generation finally showed 2019 what he is capable of by winning Race 4 in style.
Johnny Akhaton, trained by Terry Huish, proved to be too classy in the fifth race of the day, securing a winning double for Huppatz in the process.
In the last race over 1400m, Wayne Davis executed a perfectly timed ride to salute aboard Exonerate, with the rank outsider causing a boilover with his winning run.
The Alice Springs Turf Club reconvenes in just under a fortnight’s time for its once-a-year Friday meeting for Truckies Day.