Corowa races; Queens Birthday, Saturday

For the third time this year Maryanne and I headed up the Hume to attend the Corowa races. As we know this weekend coincides with a famous Queen’s birthday, so we were in a festive mood. How would we fare?

On the January 28 meet I doubled my return, but on Cup day, during the Labour Day weekend, no collects! How would I go today?

Leaving cold Melbourne we crossed the great divide, and after having a nice bunch @ Hides in Benalla eventually reached Corowa. The day was cool, but pleasant, with a slight breeze, and some soft sun. The track; A good 3.

Arrived there for the first, a maiden, so I took Doc Marten, trained at Berrigan by Mick Hartney. Off they went, for a 900m sprint. As they rounded the corner Doc Marten seemed too close to the rail, and shied throwing his rider, Andrew Bloomfield. In the confusion two other horses went down. All three horses seemed unscathed, but Bloomfield’s day was over, breaking an arm and  fellow jockey Terry Barry was also injured, hurting his neck and shoulder, neither would ride again on the day. John Kissick the other jockey who fell, rode on through the meet.

Race 2, I invested in  Telebo Miss, trained at Jerilderie by Ross Purcell. It finished  where the bane of each way bets finish; fourth. Finally Maryanne and I both got a winner in the third, as we  seperately put our $$ on The Youngfella, trained by Doug Vickers @ Wagga, and ridden by Mick Heagney. I skipped the next, in which  Amanda Masters got her second win for the day, on Devil of a Gem.

By the time Race 5 came around, I noticed another Berrigan horse to take, the Emma Steel trained, Rusky a go-go, but it didn’t go-go, finishing well back. Maryanne got another place collect on the Doug Vickers trained Dacowboyway, ridden by Mick Heagney. Finally the last rolled around, and my main bet for the day, the Rick Freyer trained Norbert. A few factors weighed on my mind, being, his  first up form was not the best, good track form poor, both his wins coming on rain affected tracks, so there were a few Q?’s there. None the less, as someone who has followed the Freyer family horses since the late 1970s this was my major bet for the day. Norbert ran a good race, but could not match Danz Citi, with Mick Heagney riding it to victory for the Berrigan trainer John Rice.

Riding honours  for the day went to Mick Heagney, and the apprenctice Amanda Masters, both riding a double. Nick Souquet and the young apprentice,  Rhagan Cross, had a winner a piece.

Not a big day for the locals. Geoff Duryea, had no starters, Mandie Jones only had Evecon in the opening race, a  first starter which came fourth, and Norbert represented the Freyer stable, finishing second in the last.

At the end of the day Maryanne was slightly up, a winner, and five placings, me slightly down. A good day was had, the country hospitality appreciated, good catching up with family friends in the members, not to mention the cheap drinks.  Next race meet @ Corowa, is Monday July 9. We will miss this as we will be across the ditch, in Tewaipounamu.

Of course it would be remiss not to say a big thank you to all involved with Corowa race club, whose efforts  made the day such a pleasant day out.

Glen!

Comments

  1. Glen you had a better day than I did at the “Bridge” on the holiday Monday. Misread the scratchings and missed a 15 to 1 pop and wasnt on a horse i had marked in the book as a good e/w
    Corowa sounds a great country meet – a bit too far from the mouth of the Murray for a day out for me
    But like me you share a love of “bush meets”- real racing

  2. Ta David,Ccorowa is a nice track, and for me there is a family link. My grandfather was the Clerk of Scales for many years. Some nice tracks in that neck of the woods, Berrigan is another i’ve enjoyed.

    Glen!

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