Above: Cranbourne trainer Chris Hyland was thrilled with the win of his gelding Larson in Sunday’s feature race at the Trade Union family races day.By Brad Kingsbury
CRANBOURNE trainer Chris Hyland took home the biggest prize cheque at Sunday’s Trade Union family race day when his honest horse Larson won the $40,000 Cbus-VTU Plate.
Four races on the strong nine-event card, raced on a track rated good, went to Cranbourne trainers but it was Larson’s win that highlighted the well-attended afternoon.
Larson, ridden by John Didham, was in the box seat third behind the leaders and then skipped away in the straight to hold a margin of more than a length at the post.
Hyland was pleased but not surprised by the effort.
“I was expecting him to go well. I put him in a race at Caulfield during the carnival and they were a bit too slick for him, but back in this class he was always going to be around the mark,” he said.
“(Jockey) Mark Flaherty trialled him last week and said he was ready to win.
“He might win one in town over the summer you never know. He’s an off-season sort of horse but he’s very honest,” Hyland said.
It was Didham’s first ride for the stable and Hyland said he had been recommended by his brother Sam, also a jockey.
Another highlight of the day came early when Nikki Burke’s gelding Point of Call triumphed in the opening event.
The horse’s regular rider, Ms Burke’s partner Mark Flaherty, could not take the mount due to suspension and seasoned hoop Nash Rawiller made the most of the opportunity when Point of Call become the first leg of a double.
The four-year-old is part-owned by Ms Burke’s sister Sally, who was at the track to celebrate the win.
Ken Keys won the eighth race with his $2.40 favourite Blue Collar Jack, which was Rawiller’s second winner for the day, while the final event was taken out by Colin Alderson’s Smudge of Green, ridden by Danny Adam.
Keys said Blue Collar Jack had been balloted out of a race at Flemington on Oaks day and that may have been “a blessing in disguise” after its dominant performance.
Berwick jockey Matt Allen also rode a double, teaming with the spring carnival’s top trainer Lee Freedman to win the second and fifth races.
The fine weather attracted a crowd of almost 8000 patrons with the dominant theme of family involvement.
Club chairman Robin Daley said that while betting turnover on such days was often slightly down despite the big crowd, the day was a great advertisement for the sport and created interest among many people that did not regularly attend race meetings.
Among off-course attractions were professional footraces on the track between races, together with live music and a variety of children’s activities.
