It was a big day of racing in Swan Hill on Sunday for their annual St Patrick’s Day meeting, with a seven-race card and 21 Swan Hill horses entered.
And big things were achieved on the day – just not by the locals.
Kilmore trainer Jody Thompson took out races one and two – with her first winner Batahi paying $23.90 and her second, Vamos Rapido, saluting at $35.60.
The performance of the day however went to jockey Jack Hill who landed a triple, while Tahlia Hope went back-to-back in races six and seven.
Thanks heavens for her – and Helen Burns – whose horse Astro Castro led the $25,000 In Memory Of Bill Kemp Handicap over 1200m from go to whoa. Finally, a set of Swan Hill silks greeted the judge, having left the rest adrift by anywhere from 2.75 lengths to a staggering 42.5.
Mind you, her horse might be more aptly named Astro the Hobo. Burns is the nine-year-old gelding’s fourth owner, with its 67 starts and six wins shared by Alan Hunter, Paddy Payne and Aaron Purcells before making the journey north to join Burns stable.
Surely Burns will now be wondering where to start him next – ideally finding one a week out. Depending on how he pulls up, his next start might well be at Swan Hill –
but I’m sure Burns doesn’t really mind – so long as he keeps on winning.
