Tinny Bar Blue cuts the corner and storms home to take out its race at Gawler last Wednesday. PHOTO: Graham Fischer
Graham Fischer
THE Gawler and Barossa Jockey Club celebrated the 10th anniversary of the track’s rebuild with an exciting meeting last Wednesday.
Chief Executive Shane Collins said the new track and Terrace Function Centre had first hosted racing on Wednesday, July 15, 2010.
“It was an important date in the club’s history,” Collins said.
“The club has been an important part of South Australian racing for more than a decade, but was at the crossroads in the early 2000s.
“A strong committee led the rebuilding of the track with its current shape, as well as the building of the Terrace Function Centre, and the industry has hailed our track and surrounds as one of the best in the state.”
Trainer Gary Searle, the most successful trainer based in Gawler, celebrated the milestone with a win by Tinny Bar Blue.
A three-year-old filly, Tinny Bar Blue, was superbly ridden by Barend Vorster to win the Brett Stone Three-Year-Old Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1100m.
A $9.50 chance, the filly dashed along the rails to win by a long neck from Outpost ($9.50) with Jibe Baby ($4.80), a half-length away third.
“(Barend Vorster) is a great jockey,” Searle said.
“While the others were coming out wide, Barend decided the rails was the quickest way home and so it proved. His ride won the race.”
Searle said he was hoping the win was a change in fortunes for the stable.
“The horses have been working well but not having much luck on race day… this filly in particular has been racing well without luck, but today showed her ability.”
One of the more sentimental wins of the day was by Rohlon Drunk in the Congratulations and Thank You Jim Watters Rating 0-62 Handicap over 1100m.
Rohlon Drunk is trained in Mount Gambier by Jamie Opperman and was ridden by his son Jacob.
“Jacob has only just started his career, but this horse was one of the first he rode in work,” Jamie Opperman said.
“This was his first win for me, so it is a bit emotional.”
Opperman started race riding in April and Rohlon Drunk was his 8th winner, with the father and son embracing post-race to celebrate the win.
