THE Penshurst and District Racing Club suffered the disappointment of having the final two races of its 2024 Cup meeting abandoned when senior jockeys voted the track unsafe for racing after the running of race six.
The final two races included the Penshurst Cup.
Senior jockeys who were riding in the final two races were asked to vote on the meetings future after concerns were raised about a section of the track after the Kelly Memorial Handicap.
After viewing the track between the 400 and 600m mark, a secret ballot was then held and the required number of votes was acquired to call the meeting off.
Earlier in the meeting apprentice jockey, Zoe Waller, was dislodged when the Jamie Barry-trained Mylitlestarthatcan fell in a similar area of the track during the running of the Cottrills Plumbing & Page Electrical Handicap, but after consulting riders and viewing the track, no blame could be labelled against anyone, with the track also considered safe to continue racing.
Mylitlestarthatcan suffered abrasions and a leg injury because of the fall.
Waller suffered no injuries and was allowed to fulfill her engagements, ironically combining with Barry for a positive result when Frose won the Kelly Memorial Handicap before the meeting was called off.
It was shocking luck for the hard-working club after months of preparation work.
Punters got it right during the first six races with four favourites winning and well-supported horses winning the other two events.
Jarrod Fry landed a double in back-to-back races, winning on Arc De Puissance and The Woke Waiter for respective trainers Mitch Freedman & Erin Maher.
Linda Meech combined with Tom Dabernig to easily win the Coopers Animal Health Maiden Plate on Jeuny To The City, while Stawell trainer John Rowe landed his first win in over a year when Kristique Dancer toyed with his rivals in the Ace Radio Maiden Plate.
Veteran Geelong trainer Kelvin Bourke chalked up a deserved win with his consistent gelding Warlist, working home strongly to grab the major prize in the Pat Hassett Memorial Handicap as a well-supported $2.90 favourite.
Results
Race 1 - Ace Radio Maiden Plate 1000m - 1st Kristique Dancer (Ryan Hurdle/John Rowe) $5; 2nd She’sadare (Tom Madden/Adam Chambers) $9; 3rd Riverina Lightning (Jordyn Weatherley/Tom Dabernig) $2.80f.
Race 2 - Coopers Animal Health Maiden Plate 1284m – 1st Jeuny To The City (Linda Meech/Tom Dabernig) $2.25f; 2nd Big Beam (Jarrod Fry/Lindsey Smith) $3.10; 3rd Abby’s Crossword (Alana Kelly/Daryl Cannon) $101.
Race 3 - Bendigo Bank Dunkeld & District Maiden Plate 1476m - 1st Arc De Puissance (Jarrod Fry/Mitch Freedman) $4.40; 2nd Maggie Rose (Lester Grace/Matthew Williams) $2.50f; 3rd Tikken (Tom Madden/Richard Cully) $11.
Race 4 - Cottrills Plumbing & Page Electrical Handicap 1476m - 1st The Woke Waiter (Jarrod Fry/Erin Maher) $2.50f; 2nd The Untacklabull (Neil Farley/Chris Calthorpe) $6; 3rd Interfering (Connor Murtagh/Richard Nicholson) $8.
Race 5 - Pat Hassett Memorial Handicap 1476m - 1st Warlist (Neil Farley/Kelvin Bourke) $2.90f; 2nd St Pats Day (Ryan Hurdle/Bob Challis) $12; 3rd Bull Dust (Tom Madden/Quinton Scott) $8.
Race 6 - Kelly Memorial Handicap, sponsored by Kellys AGnVET 1000m - 1st Frose (Zoe Waller/Jamie Barry) $3f; 2nd Spinhof (Neil Farley/Shay Keating) $6; 3rd Leica Rock (Jordyn Weatherley/John Markovic) $20.
Race 7 - 4:09PM bet365 Penshurst Cup 2000m (ABANDONED)
Race 8 - 4:51PM Zoetis Animal Health Handicap 1284m (ABANDONED)
