RENOWNED harness racing driver, Chris Alford dominated proceedings during Sunday’s Boort Trotting Club cups meeting, held at Boort Park.
Alford claimed victory in four of the seven races he featured in, including one of the two major titles on the nine-race card – The Honourable Peter Walsh (for the Nationals) Boort Trotters Cup.
Having recorded more than 6000 wins in his career, Alford guided the seven-year-old Brent Lilley-trained gelding to victory in one of the cup races on the card, finishing 14.6 metres ahead of runner-up, Black Valley.
“It’s a unique track and it takes a special kind of horse to race it,” he said.
“It’s been a good competitive race and the locals like they are enjoying themselves.”
Alford was not able to make it a cups double, with Animated finishing outside the placings as driver-trainer, Kerryn Manning guided four-year-old gelding, Motu Meteor to victory in the Councillor Neil Beattie and Family Boort Pacing Cup.
“Kerryn drives and trains the horse and she has won more races than any woman in the world. She’s trained our horses since she started, so all credit goes to her,” Motu Meteor co-owner, Meg Butterworth said.
“What a fabulous day for the Boort Club – you can understand why it’s the oldest running track in Victoria.”
Alford’s other wins came from Mia From Memphis in the Loddon Shire Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship (15th Heat), Sports Bounty in the E.W. (Ned) Fitzpatrick Memorial Pace and Forever Ours in the Patrick Dwyer Memorial Eureka Series (1st Heat).
Other winners on the day were Valda in the Keith and Dawn McClelland Memorial Vicbred Platinum Country Series K (2nd Heat), Pocket Thedeal in the D.W. (Bill) Foley Memorial Pace, Fowsands in the Boort Railway Hotel Birchip Pace Final and Columbias Deejay in the Robert Coutts Memorial Trotters Handicap.
Boort Trotting Club president, John Campbell said the extremely windy start to the day wasn’t enough to put race-goers off.
“The wind tested us this morning when we were preparing, but the racing is good. It’s a good day,” he said.
Special guests throughout the day included Member for the Nationals Peter Walsh, Minister for Racing Martin Pakula, Minister for Equality Martin Foley and chairman of Harness Racing Victoria Dale Monteith.
