Members’ day

The Snitch and Phase Angle are led around the parade ring before race six of the Sandown Lodge race day at Pakenham last Friday.                                                                                                     Picture: Kim CartmellThe Snitch and Phase Angle are led around the parade ring before race six of the Sandown Lodge race day at Pakenham last Friday. Picture: Kim Cartmell

By Ben Hope
AFTER a successful weekday race last week, Pakenham Racing Club’s big month of racing will continue this Friday with the annual members’ race day.
Pakenham Racing Club chief executive Michael Hodge said last Friday’s Sandown Lodge race day was a huge success with a good turn out for the 25th anniversary of the event.
“It was a great day and here we are a week later ready to go again,” Hodge said.
“The track was magnificent, it performed beautifully. We had 6mm of rain the night before and 1.5mm on the day and the track handled it well.
“The rail will be moved back to its true position leaving three metres of fresh track for this weekend’s members’ race day.”
The winner of the main race, the Sandown Lodge Handicap Fillies and Mares, was American Morsecode trained by Dianne Wynne.
Last week an extra race was added due to the large number of nominations and Hodge predicts the same may happen this Friday for the members’ day.
“The main race this weekend is the $17,500 members’ handicap and it has attracted 28 nominations. It’s big prize-money for a weekday race,” Hodge said.
“We have also already received more than 1000 RSVPs from members and their guests so it is shaping up to be a popular day for our members as well.”
The Pakenham Racing Club’s big month of racing will be capped off on 28 February with a fundraising event for the Cardinia Beaconhills Golf Links Race Day.
“There is some real momentum behind the meeting. I am really looking forward to it,” Hodge said.
“The big race on that day is the Bon Hoysted Apprentices Cup and the winner will have an automatic entry into the Pakenham cup.”
The Devine Communities $100,000 Pakenham Cup on March 14 is included as an official part of Melbourne Festival of Racing and with a total of $250,000 of stake money on offer, is sure to guarantee a high quality of racing.
For more information on any of the upcoming races contact the Pakenham Racing Club on 5941 1207.