LEADING provincial horse trainers and jockeys were given the opportunity to trial their horses at Kerang on Friday for a jump out event.
The unofficial training meet at Kerang Turf Club’s Alexandra Park track enabled trainers to get some work into their horses before the spring races begin.
Club member, Greg McNeil said close to 30 trainers brought 66 horses to Kerang to take part in 14 trials.
“The tracks are too wet down south at the moment so we had trainers from places including Seymour, Kyneton, Bendigo and Echuca,” he said.
McNeil said the horses that ran at the event would compete at major provincial events across the State, as well as some Melbourne races.
He said the event was a good opportunity to promote the track to the industry as the club aims to have a TAB meeting held in Kerang.
“It was a lot of volunteer work to prepare the track but we were prepared to do it because we want to get a TAB meeting,” he said.
“Our biggest hope at this stage is to get a transferred meeting.”
McNeil said the jockeys and trainers were “rapt with the course”.
Echuca-based trainer, Ivan Lister praised the club for not only providing trainers with an opportunity to trial untried and little-raced horses, but for the conduct of the trials.
“They deserve a real pat on the back,” he said.
“It’s a real treat to have a run on a good grass. I’ve got a horse that had its first start over 1200 metres at Echuca and, because it’s a stayer, I need some miles in its legs before I start it in a 1600 event.”
Lister also suggested that northern clubs like Kerang could host race meetings if southern clubs’ races are abandoned due to wet weather.
“I’m sure if Racing Victoria let it happen, owners and trainers would support it rather than miss out on a meeting,” he said.
