The loyal support of owners, trainers, jockeys, sponsors and those in attendance at Hanging Rock races on January 1 was emphasised throughout the day.
Current Kyneton & Hanging Rock Racing Club president, Gary O’Meara, is the principal of nearby Miranda Park Stud, where the breeding season recently concluded.
The Miranda Park Stan Nicholls Sprint BM58 Handicap produced a close finish, with the Cranbourne trained Arroance, ridden by Ross O’Sullivan, the winner.
Trainer Mick Bell said he had been keen to be in attendance as he had won a race at ‘The Rock’ last year, but had been unable to be present.
Six-year-old Arroance took her earnings from 23 starts to almost $100,000 for a large contingent of owners. At his previous outing the mare had finished third over the same distance at a Healesville Picnic meeting.
Long time KHRRC committeeman Brian Johnson praised O’Meara and Miranda Park Stud for backing the meeting, recalling the tremendous contribution the late Stan Nicholls had made to racing at ‘The Rock’ over an extended period.
Connections of Irish Consort, trained at Wangaratta by Dan O’Sullivan, are keen to be back on Australia Day.
Ridden by Laura Lafferty, the topweight earlier streaked away to win by five lengths in a Maiden over 1000m, in a time of 57.01 seconds.
The previous record of 58.24 seconds had been set by the Neil Dyer trained Limorhan on January 1, 2001.
Lafferty took the day’s riding honours with a double, also winning on Vegas On Fire in the Bruce Jones Memorial Handicap.
The other track record was set over 2400m in the Tony McMahon BM58 Handicap by Vic Reel, trained at Ballarat by Lucinda Boyd.
Jake Duffy used successful tearaway tactics and his initiative paid off as Vic Reel covered the distance in 2:31.92, also a new track record.
