Bits and Pieces by Terry Gange

WARRAGUL harness racing club in Victoria’s picturesque Gippsland region is one of the oldest in the State, but that doesn’t stop them from coming up with new ideas.

The club, situated about 100 kilometres southeast of Melbourne, is going all-out in a bid to attract more starters to its remaining meetings for the season.

It’s been a hard gig for Warragul to attract big nominations, but with three juicy cash incentives to trainers, hopefully the pendulum swings in their favor.

Just by supporting the energetic club, one lucky trainer will walk away with $5000. The rules are simple—anyone who puts a horse in at the remaining seven meetings will receive an entry to go into the major draw at the December 6 race meeting.

Obviously, the key is to attend more meetings because that means more entries will go into the barrel on your behalf. Apart from the big booty of $5000, there’s also two others to be drawn out in $2000 and $1000.

The Warragul club, established in 1939, prides itself on having its half-mile track meticulously prepared for its meetings—and there’s really no excuse as direct freeway access now puts trainers at the front gate!

The next meeting is set down for Monday (June 12) during the Kings Birthday long weekend holiday.

The club is known for trying initiatives to attract new trainers from a broader spectrum.

Back in October of the 2021 season, a $1000 bonus was offered to every horse who could break a track record at the meeting. Kate and Andy Gath did just that when Yambukian (Bettors Delight) shaved two tenths of a second off the 2210m track record in winning in 1.56-2.

THE Victorian Square Trotters Association crowned its achievers of the 2022 season, with over 100 people attending the awards presentation in the Legends Room at Tabcorp Park Melton last Saturday (May 6).

Young Hamilton reinswoman Jackie Barker, who makes no secret of her love for the square gaiter, took home the Dick Lee Rising Star award.

Jackie has been getting more and more opportunities with the trotting brigade as her cool demeanour in the sulky certainly gets the best out of the horses.

The Bob Conroy Excellence in Trotting award saw a very popular win to association president Anne-Maree Conroy.

Anne-Maree spoke passionately about her late father Bob, who was a legend with the trotting gait.  His skills are evident through Anne-Maree and her brothers Glenn and Peter, who still train from the family property.

Matriarch of the Conroy family, Pat, was understandably beaming with pride along with other family members at the presentation. Pat is still involved through ownership of a number of horses.

Katrina Knight, a tireless and enthusiastic VSTA Treasurer, was a fitting winner of the Col Redwood Determination in Trotting award. A niece of the late Col, and grand-daughter of VSTA founding president, the late Hugh Redwood, Katrina has been VSTA treasurer for 15 years along numerous other roles dedicated to promoting and improving the sport and said it had been her dream to receive the award.

And a much-loved Ballarat district trainer Katrina “Smiley” Fitzpatrick was shocked and thrilled to be awarded a life membership certificate at the dinner, in appreciation of years of dedicated service.

YOUNG Bendigo couple Alex Ashwood and Tayla French hit the road in different directions last week and come up with the spoils.

While Ashwood headed four-and-a-half hours northeast last Friday (May 5) up into NSW to compete at the Riverina Paceway at Wagga Wagga, French went a similar distance northwest to Mildura.

“It was a last-minute decision to do the Wagga meeting, but it all turned out pretty well,” Ashwood said.

Newcomer to the stable in Major Fire (Art Major) continued on her winning way by taking out the Atworthy Park Standardbreds Pace — her fourth win on end since coming across from NZ. Ashwood followed up with Frenwood Miracle (Captain Treacherous) who hit the front at the perfect moment to snatch success in the Riverina Hotel Pace.

“I’d been up there once previously back in September and had a second and a fourth,” he said.

French, who is in hot form, landed a quartet of winners at Mildura, the first time she’s achieved a “fab four”.

She scored on Beaudacious (Cracker Black), Another Sparky (Artesian), Cheeky Eagle (Bettors Delight) and National Draft (Modern Art).

The couple was thrilled to further add to their pink pants tally for the major fundraising Pacing For Pink month.

“I can tell you that I easily had the best drive. The road to Wagga is just great,” Ashwood said.

A POPULAR and well-respected member of the Harness Racing Victoria stewards panel, Michael Ross, has headed interstate.

Ross, who served five years at HRV, officiated at last Sunday’s (May 7) Shepparton meeting before leaving to take up a steward’s role with the New South Wales Authority, based in the Riverina.

Race caller Lachlan McIntosh summed it up nicely when he said that Ross had been a “Jack of all trades” during his Victorian stint.

“He’s been the race starter, a judge, as well as doing stewards day-to-day roles at meetings,” McIntosh said.

It’s a homecoming of sorts for Ross, who is originally from the Forbes district—three hours from Wagga.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink