Grasstrack season starts with Methven on Sunday

Laurence Hanrahan is hoping for a bit of beginner’s luck at Methven on Sunday.

The harness racing meeting at Mt Harding is the opening grasstrack meeting of the spring. It is also his first meeting as Methven Trotting Club president, having recently taken over from Michael Heenan. It’s his first stint as president.

“I’ve been on a committee a while,” says Hanrahan, “I’ve had a few breaks but it will be somewhere around the 20 year mark.”

Hanrahan says he’s a bit nervous about the weather leading into Sunday’s 11 race card (starting at 11.34am) though the forecast for the day itself is encouraging with 17 degrees and no rain.

“The track’s looking really good so we are hopeful things will go well”

Hanrahan’s also come up with a “Horse of the Day” concept that will be rolled out at every one of their meetings.

It sees one horse randomly drawn out before the first race of the day, with the winner receiving a bottle of wine.

If the horse drawn then goes on to win its race it will receive a magnum of champagne plus $1000 will be given to the owner/owners, $300 to the trainer and $200 to the driver.

“I spotted it at another club who were doing something similar so I thought I’d sit on it,” says Hanrahan, “the response has been very positive. Everyone loves it when you give stuff away!”

“Plus the club is always open to new ideas and have been very supportive.”

Hanrahan will also line up two starters, with Bautista in Race 4, the Bus and Truck Bodyworks Mobile Pace (12.55pm) and Elite Styx in Race 6, the Betavet (Junior Drivers) Mobile Pace (2.07pm).

“Back in a Rating 35 Bautista will be very competitive and Elite Styx has her best draw for a while so hopefully she’ll get a good run.”

Bautista is a $2.30 favourite while Elite Styx, who has drawn 3, is at $35, with the Brent and Tim White-trained Clonakilty a $2.50 favourite.

To see the Methven fields click here

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk