Wet track no hindrance to runners at Mansfield

Despite being rated a heavy track and some scratchings the Mansfield Marks IGA Melbourne Cup Day picnic race meeting still delivered a full race program without any incidents last week. According to Mansfield District Racing Club president, Leanne Backwell this was due to the excellent maintenance of the local racetrack. "It is a testament to the quality of the track and the amenities the club provides, that the meeting was conducted with all six races and limited scratchings," Ms Backwell said. "In spite of the weather, feedback has been widely positive," she added. It was good to see some of the regular trainers and jockeys vying for win and a bit of mud wasn't going to wipe those smiles off the faces of those successful riders, trainers and owners on the day. For one jockey it was a turning point in his career when Cameron Thompson recorded his first winning ride from five starts in Race Four the Marks Iga Open Trophy Handicap on the Peter Foster trained grey/bay mare Lika Mosh the winner of the Mansfield Cup earlier this year. It was a memorable Melbourne Cup Day for the rider based near Colac, southwest Victoria and Cranbourne trainer. Popular female jockey from Euroa Tracey Johnson scored a winning ride in race five on First Venture much to delight of Seymour trainer Gordon Strang. Race 1 - Delatite Hotel Maiden Plate (1600 metres) Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 2 Lord Chapel Ron Hockley Sebastian Galea 1 67kg 2 7 Slippery Thinker Jamie Gibbons Leigh Taylor 6 65kg 3 3 Stormyfriendship Mark Ashby Jack Virgona 2 67kg Race 2 - Mansfield Courier Trophy Race (3) Handicap (1600 metres) 1 3 These Boots (NZ) Don Dwyer Shaun Cooper 2 69kg 2 4 Mister Fairbanks Grant White Rob Kirkpatrick 1 65.5kg Race 3 - McGrath Mansfield Maiden Plate (1200 metres) 1 4 Not Fake Ron Hockley Raymond Douglas 4 65kg 2 9e Couldbetracey Gordon Strang Ms Tracey Johnson 1 65kg 3 5 Oh La Belle Rene Pompe Cameron Thompson (a3/) 5 65kg Race 4 - Marks IGA Open Trophy Handicap (1200 metres) 1 2 Lika Mosh Peter Foster Cameron Thompson 7 71.5kg 2 6 Hell Be Coming Christine Boyd Raymond Douglas 8 67kg 3 8 Epsom Magic Daniel Williams Jack Virgona 4 64.5kg Race 5 - Platinum Horse Transport Trophy Race (2) Handicap (1200 metres) 1 6 First Venture Gordon Strang Ms Tracey Johnson 7 64.5kg 2 1 Gamadale Indi Cameron Thompson Cameron Thompson 6 73kg 3 7 Mallee Maid Anthony Dudley Shaun Cooper 5 63kg Race 6 - Barastoc Trophy Race Handicap (1100 metres) 1 3 Understated Peter Foster Sebastian Galea 1 67.5kg 2 2 Kahungunu Tyson Barton Shaun Cooper 2 69kg 3 5 Enough War Geoff Brunsdon Ms Melinda McDonald 3 63kg

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