Did Swan Hill absolutely rain on Mildura’s parade this week?
Absolutely.
Mildura’s Anzac Day +1 race meeting got national TV coverage, pulled a respectable crowd, had the local media on site – plus a gaggle of racing.com presenters, interviewers and assorted hangers-on.
But it was winners all round for the raiders from Swan Hill, with five races won by Swan Hill jockeys and two by Swan Hill trainers.
From the get-go.
Swan Hill’s hottest hoop Harry Coffey got the ball rolling in Race 1, the $35,000 ENG Media Big Screen Hire Plate over 2000m, booting home hot favourite Aquila Volare for racing big guns Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Race 3 – the $35,000 Nick Burke Plumbing Plate over 1400m – saw the three amigos back together, this time with odds-on favourite Murrajong Road, with Coffey forced to come wide to take the win.
In Race 4, Swan Hill trainer Nathan Hobson teamed up with Swan Hill born and bred jockey Madison Lloyd to ride Don’t Tell Sheriff (one of three horses he had in the race, along with fellow trainers Con Kelly and Noel Watson having one each) to victory in the $35,000 VisitMildura.com.au Plate over 1200m.
The Maher/Eustace/Coffey combination combined again to complete their treble in Race 7 with three-year-old filly Seacole taking out the $35,000 Mildura Motor Holdings over 1400m.
And the icing on the cake came in the last, when Swan Hill’s larger-than-life trainer Noel Watson teamed up with Maddy Lloyd aboard city winner Redjina. In the pouring rain and when the field settled Lloyd was right behind the pace-making Crystal Dynasty before racing away to win by almost two lengths.
Roll on June 10-12 for the Swan Hill Cup Carnival.
