The King Island Racing season is off and running with the first meeting of the season, Ladies and Tradies Day, held last Saturday.
The skies were overcast and there was a chill in the air, so coats hid bare shoulders and a bit of the fancy racing carnival fashion. But the track was sound and the rain held off – so, all in all, a great day’s racing!
King Island Racing Club president Audrey Hamer said that while the crowds were not big – the norm for the first race day – she is confident that the numbers will build as the race calendar progresses.
“They have sold a lot of tickets for the Beef Day races on December 16 and we expect big crowds for the festive and holiday season races,” she said.
A Sunraysia golf tour group from northwestern Victoria and southwestern New South Wales said they had a wonderful time, enjoying “two rounds of golf this morning, then dressed up for the races and tomorrow we are at the King Island Golf Club”.
A group of ex-army mates from Queensland and NSW catch up annually with either a golf or a country race trip. “We were trying to find a weekend where we could fit in our trip and came across this weekend on King Island,” one of them remarked. “It’s great that we have been able to combine both golf and the races.”
The first race of the season was won by Squazeemoto for Tammy Muir and Codi Jordon, which was quickly followed up by another Muir/Jordon win with Tyson’s Reef in the second race of the day.
Owner interest and lifelong King Island Racing participant (in every aspect), Peter Bowling, was chuffed with the Squazeemoto win, “I only signed the owner paperwork a few days ago – and look I have a win, I know how to pick them, ” he chuckled.
It was an exciting day for the Clerk of Course and new trainer Casey Hyde, who has taken on one of the imported horses, Prophet’s Reign (Grampians Racing), which went down by a nose to the Robert Keys-trained Screw Creek ridden by Craig Atkinson. It was Race 7, the last on the card, that had Casey jumping for joy when Cianna took out the Cox Electrical Handicap.
Last season Cianna delivered a sensational performance to win the Jim Mackenzie Agencies King Island Cup over 1800 metres to make it back-to-back wins, having scored an equally impressive win in a maiden on Boxing Day. Casey and Ailean Hyde purchased the galloper from an online bloodstock site last year for $5,700. The mare had raced under six different trainers with no wins in 14 starts but went on for glory in King Island.
Christina bolted it in, for Deb Monson, and a nice run for Queensland jockey Stephanie Lacy who has returned to the track on King Island after retiring from racing.
Patrons are reminded that there is a $10 gate entrance fee for non-members. Season memberships can be purchased from the King Island Racing Club by contacting Heather Archer or by direct deposit:
Adults single $50.00 Couple $90.00
Direct Deposit to
King Island Racing Club
BSB: 037-602
A/C No: 550068
Reference: Your name, please.
If membership cards cannot be shown at the gate, the entrance fee will be charged (unless on the volunteer entrance list held at the gate). The $10 entrance fee can be refunded in the secretary’s office on the course when membership payment is confirmed for those who cannot show their membership card. Race club president Audrey Hamer reminds those attending on race days that the gate entrance is managed by King Island Lions Club volunteers and the King Island Race Club is a not-for-profit organization also run by volunteers and avoiding this small payment is disappointing.