THEY’RE BACK!

2 March 2010

RYAN REYNOLDS

HARNESS Racing made a stunning return to Hamilton on Sunday with the new and improved track being labelled “one of the best going around”.

About 2800 people braved cold and windy weather to welcome back the horses for the first time in five years.

Racegoers lined every possible vantage point for the events before quickly returning to the betting ring for much-needed shelter from the weather.

Racing club manager Peter Collier said the day was a massive success.

“It was just fantastic, we were really happy with the day,” he said. “We have heard nothing but praise from people who attended.

“Despite the weather we had a really strong turn out and it will give us something to build on.

“The return of racing here really created a lot of buzz in the community, a lot of people were talking about it.”

On the track it was Village Of Dreams that took out the $25,000 Hamilton Pacing Cup with a brilliant drive by Gavin Lang.

“It is a very very smart horse Village Of Dreams,” Mr Collier said. “It has been racing in some good quality races in Melbourne and it came up here and raced very well.

“Gavin also drove it very well, he was pretty happy after the race.”

Whiteliner driven by Kevin Brough found its extra long nose crossed the line first in the $15,000 Trotters Cup, while Lot of Lip was a bit too classy in the Tim Neeson Memorial Border Cup.

“We had some good fields in the other races,” Mr Collier said.

“It was great to have the Tim Neeson Memorial Border Cup run after the recent trials in Mount Gambier.

“Starting with that really got the day off to a good start.”

Mr Collier said Lang and all the other drivers were very impressed with the track.

“Every driver I talked to was more then impressed,” he said.

“I talked to Gavin after the cup and he told me that he thought it (the track) was one of the best going around.

“It was fantastic to see everything go well.”

Board members of Harness Racing Victoria also echoed these thoughts.

“We had five board members come up and they praised the track,” he said. “It will only get better after a few races and everything settles. To hear positive reviews after everyone involved put in so much hard work is great.”

Mr Collier said the return was well supported by the racing community.

“We had horses and people come from all over the state,” he said. “We had people from central Victoria, and also a lot of locals and also people come up from Portland which was great.

“The locals did well on the track as well.”

Mr Collier praised the help of the club’s many volunteers.

“We have had a lot of volunteers who worked hard to do a lot of work,” he said. “They all spent a lot of time working here and we are very thankful for that.”

The club’s next meet will be in a month.

Pictures – PAGES 12 & 13.