Racecourse holds up for races
Woodville Racecourse once again stood up through rough weather, holding its Members and Supporters Race Day on October 19.
The club ran 10 races with an average field of 12, as there was demand from trainers, with Hawke’s Bay and Masterton courses cancelling meetings because of wet conditions.
It was also a close-run-thing for Woodville, because course inspection a day before the meeting found conditions so marginal that had it rained overnight the meeting would also have been cancelled.
Twice this winter Woodville has also come to the rescue of other clubs whose courses were too wet. Free draining soils and a grass surfacemade for good racing even though it was heavy.
Members and Supporters were treated royally on the mezzanine floor of the main stand throughout the day but they reciprocated with spirited bidding for a 1 per cent share in Tony Banbury’s horse Adonis.
Winning bid was $2000 and the runner-up $1950 also gained a 1 per cent share, all proceeds going to the Woodville-Pahiatua Racing Club.
There was some exciting racing in the warm, sunny conditions.
The locally owned and trained Jump For Joy won the All Diamonds Zedace Syndicate 2200m Race Four leading around the final bend to win by a nose.
Jockey Sarah MacNab said her mount — one of her favourites — pulled hard most of the way when she normally doesn’t, but the result was great.
Nicole Parry, part owner of Veracious was delighted for jockey Matt McNelis that it won the fifth since he was riding it for the first time.
In the maiden seventh, owners of Pure Daze were at first concerned but were thrilled when it led most of the race and won by two and a half lengths in its first start.
The Woodville-Pahiatua Club hopes next year the Labour Weekend traditional meeting can be restored to the weekend so more locals can attend.