A good crowd turned up for the Warra Race meeting on Saturday, August 11 despite the prediction of bitterly cold south westerly winds to continue from Friday.
Fortunately the winds eased and it turned out to be a reasonable winter’s day. Country market stalls and Fashion on the Fields added to the colour and atmosphere of the day along with the Annual Warra Cup for the novelty horses sponsored by Mark Francis from Warra constructions.
The novelty horses consisted of a plastic barrel on wheels ridden by young children and pulled along by an adult after four heats the final consisted of Warra’s Pride, Radish, Beetlebomb and Black Caviar.
In a close finish Black Caviar ridden by Ty Cann and pulled by Glen Cann just nosed out Warra’s Pride and Beetlebomb. Those that stayed on after the races enjoyed a camp oven dinner and were entertained by singer Amanda Faulkner.
Young female apprentice Rikki Jamieson had a memorable day riding four winners including a late pick up ride on Keep Up The Attack in the last replacing Amy Taylor. Rikki also scored the ride of the day on Ima Joker to win race four the Warra Cup. Stewards upgraded the track after the first from a good three to a good two and there were no scratchings for the entire program. The Warra Club will race again in July, 2013.
Race 1.
Scarlett’s Ribbons, Sweet Sweet Love, Forever Yours and Flash Apache all vied for the lead in the early part of the race with Mini Style last but only four lengths from the lead in a tightly packed field. Rounding the home turn the field fanned across the track and Mini Style burst through to win going away by more than a length to Scarlett’s Ribbon with Mai Maibe running home late for third.
Race 2.
Scotch Rocket made a one act affair of race two. After settling third behind Spinifex Warrior and Grappa Scotch Rocket rounded up the leaders quickly approaching the home turn and cleared out in the straight to win by more than seven lengths to Spinifex Warrior with Van De Lys third.
Race 3.
Desert Lair, Honour Guard, Major Cash and Chromed came the turn with little between them with Honour Guard taking a narrow lead as they straightened. Honour Guard and Desert Lair had a real battle all the way down the straight with Honour Guard just edging out Desert Lair who was gutsy in defeat and Solfege made up a lot of ground for third.
Race 4.
Rikki Jamieson had no qualms about taking the short priced favourite Ima Joker straight to the lead but Pipers Point, Sandhill Pride and Bernadecio weren’t going to give him any peace and pressured Ima Joker to the turn. Ima Joker was tackled in earnest by Sandhill Pride in the straight but the grand old nine year old kept finding something for Rikki to score by a long neck to Sandhill Pride with Bernadecio a distant third.
Race 5.
Keep Up The Attack went straight to the lead over Raku Tu, More Than Curly and Both Ears. Keep Up The Attack turned for home with a narrow lead but Raku Tu was making a real race of it however in another excellent riding display by Rikki Jamieson Keep Up The Attack held on by a neck to Raku Tu with Tornazaky getting home late for third.
Story courtesy Barry Jones
Photo courtesy Michael McInally
