ANOTHER successful race meeting was staged by the Hughenden Race Club last Sunday, but after the full day of activities on Anzac Day, crowd numbers were down.
Apart from the Anzac Day events, which culminated in an official lunch, Hughenden residents had a bowls competition and a rugby league match with arch-rivals Mount Isa, and after the Hughenden team came out victors 40-38, an after-match hoe-down to celebrate.
Those who attended the race meeting made the most of the great racing and fantastic weather on the day.
Vicki Frisby chose the races to host her hen's party prior to her upcoming marriage to David Reid, adding plenty of colour and some raucous humour to an afternoon of great horse racing.
Nominations were so strong that there was a shortage of jockeys, with trainers now struggling to find enough meetings due to reduced number of bush meetings.
The feature race, the Fossil Trail Maiden Plate, provided some drama, with the Derek Foster-ridden Bouchalang breaking through the barriers, dislodging the jockey and running a one-horse race before being scratched.
The race was eventually won by the SJ Royes-trained Demere, ridden by Aaron Spradau, by a head from Bethel Two (Bill Kenning), with Vantage Rhythm, with Dot Slack-Smith aboard, a further length back.
All in all, it was a successful day, and punters can now look forward to the Tower Hill races on next weekend May 1-3.
*More photos in this week’s North Queensland Register, out Thursday.
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