By David Nagel
Trainers from the South East suburbs of Melbourne have taken out the majority share of the $1.4million in prize money on offer at Victoria’s first Good Friday race meeting at the Sale Turf Club.
The destination event, which will rotate annually throughout country Victoria, has seen thoroughbred racing join the AFL, NRL, NBL and A-League in conducting professional sport on Good Friday in Victoria.
While Warrnambool-trainer Lindsey Smith took out the main race on the card – the $500,000 The Country Discovery (1100m) – it was left to Cranbourne, Mornington and Pakenham trainers to take out six of the eight races on the program.
Wendy Kelly, and the training partnerships of Mick Price/Michael Kent Jnr and Trent Busuttin/Natalie Young, took care of business for Cranbourne, while Kane Harris and Cliff Young waved the flag highly for the team from Mornington.
And Pakenham-trainer Phillip Stokes also got in amongst the action when his exciting sprinter Red Hot Nicc scored a strong victory in the $100,000 BenchMark-64 Handicap (1100m).
The three-year-old gelding – Nicconi/Glorious Red – has been super-consistent since kicking off his career in March last year, and drew favourably in barrier two for his Good Friday assignment.
Red Hot Nicc was given a peach of a ride by jockey Zac Spain, hunting up to third on the rail before peeling off the fence and taking the lead as the field passed the 400-metre pole.
The pair then kicked for home, holding off the expected late charges in the 15-strong field to win by a length-and-a-quarter on the line.
Red Hot Nicc is building a solid block of form, with Friday’s win his second from nine starts…and missing the placings only three times in his career.
As usual, Good Friday was about a lot more than just sport, with the Victorian Racing Industry making a sizeable donation to the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
Racing Victoria Director Paul Guerra was on hand at Sale to make a $100,000 donation on behalf of the Victorian Thoroughbred Racing Industry.
“The All-Star Mile was raced at Flemington a couple of weeks ago, the mighty Zaaki won it, Racing Victoria through the nomination fees there and together with the Sale race day, have raised $100,000, and that’s going to the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal,” Guerra said.
Horses that nominated for the $5 million All-Star Mile had to pay a $500 entry fee which went straight to the appeal.
“We’re really proud of the connection with racing Victoria, they’re very generous, this is the fourth year in a row they’ve donated the funds from the race, and we’re very appreciative,” said Peter Blunden, who is a board member of the Good Friday Appeal.
The donation also included significant funds raised from the hosting of the inaugural Good Friday race day at Sale.
“The work that’s been done by Sale is extraordinary, and it’s great to be on course today for our first ever Good Friday meeting,” Racing Victoria EGM Greg Carpenter said.
“The All-Star Mile is much more than just a horse race and one of the great parts of it has been our partnership with the Good Friday Appeal and all the fantastic work they do.”
The $100,000 donation doubled Racing Victoria’s donation of $50,000 from last year.
