Five-length win: O'whatapicture was ridden to victory by Neil Farley in the Home of Bakeology 4YO+ maiden plate at Ararat on April 2. Photo: Brendan McCarthy/Racing Photos
Photo by
Brendan McCarthy
A seven-race program at Echuca Racing Club on Sunday has attracted nominations from nine Echuca-based trainers.
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The program will start at 1.45pm and the last event is at 5.10pm.
A feature of the program is a benchmark 64 event over 1400m.
Echuca Racing Club general manager Garry Armstrong said acceptances would close at lunchtime on Thursday, but early nominations had attracted more than 260 nominations.
“Tayne Foster has nominated a horse, Rhys Archard has four nominations, while Darryl Archard, Gwenda Johnstone, Tim Davy, John “Bluey” Thomas and the Mick Cornish and Donna Gaskin stable also have nominated starters,“ Armstrong said.
Gunbower Racing Club president Michael Farrant has nominated a horse for the event, while Dennis Oliver has a first starter named Spy Princess aiming to make its debut.
Along with the Echuca trainers, the likes of Ciaron Maher-David Eustace, Freedman and Peter Moody also have strong nominations.
The Mick Cornish and Donna Gaskin-trained gelding O’whatapicture made amends for its Echuca Cup day third placing by smashing through its maiden status at Ararat on Saturday.
The $7 shot was carrying 59.5kg in the 1100m event and Neil Farley guided it to victory by almost five lengths.
Winning pair: A beardless Mick Cornish with O'whatapicture and jockey Neil Farley after the gelding’s maiden win at Ararat. Photo: Brendan McCarthy/Racing Photos
Photo by
Brendan McCarthy
O’whatapicture raced on the pace from the outset, settling second and taking the lead at the 400m mark and never looking back.
It was O’whatapicture’s 14th race start, having placed nine times before breaking through for the win.
On Echuca Cup day, the five-year-old finished third, continuing its career consistency which has rewarded it with six seconds and two thirds. The win took the gelding’s prizemoney to almost $50,000.
The Gwenda Johnstone-trained Very Shamus stormed down the outside of the field to win a 975m Swan Hill Sprint late last month.
Flying home: Very Shamus was ridden by Jack Hill to win the Kennedy's Showcase Jewellers 0-58 Handicap at Swan Hill late last month. Photo: Brendan McCarthy/Racing Photos
Photo by
Brendan McCarthy
The three-quarters-of-a-length win came after the mare was sent out a $7 shot with Jack Hill in the saddle.
She started from barrier 10 in the 12-horse field and stormed home to claim a second career win.
At the 800m mark there were just two horses behind Very Shamus and with 400m to run she was still eighth.
The second win came in her 15th race start, with trainer Johnstone among the first to celebrate as she also has a share in the horse, which had previously been placed on three occasions, including a third at Benalla.
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