Small crowd enjoys the races at Woodville
Thursday August 9 was a great day’s racing from the trainer’s perspective at Woodville.
The day was fine and sunny, the track was heavy, rated 11 due to 8ml of rain overnight but was well grassed. Eight races had hardly any scratchings which gave the small crowd plenty to ponder when betting.
Winter meetings are the opportunity to test out progress in training with a number of longer races to start the day and sprints following. Race Three offered first start opportunities, won by Red Beach of the Cambridge Stud Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, but some races were for form horses like Race Four, also won by the Cambridge Stable with Ole Ole.
It was a successful trip south for this stable, winning the Eighth Race with The Heiress to make it three wins from three starts.
The Guy Lowrie-Grant Cullen Stable operating out of Hastings and Dannevirke where Grant’s partner Nikki has a horse physiotherapy business, also had a successful day gaining two seconds in Race Six (Saint Kitt) and Race Seven (Shady Lady).
For experienced jockeys Rosie Myers and Lisa Allpress winning and placing is just a “day at the office” but for some newcomers like Temyia Taiaroa of Foxton, just 16 and in her first few months of racing, to get her first win was a real thrill, guiding Duffers Creek to a win by a neck in Race Six.
Given the weather the small crowd disappointed the organisers, but all races ran without incident. The punters had their share of successes, Glenys Pryde and Margaret Gainey of the Woodville Cancer Society had a busy day raising Daffodil Day money and those involved in training and riding had a good day.
The Woodville course is to be used in the next few months with the building of new stalls meaning trials will be held for the first time in a while on September 4 and the next race day is October 18 just before Labour Weekend.