By KATH GANNAWAY
HEALESVILLE Amateur Racing Club signed off its 2015/16 season in style on Saturday with the club’s inaugural Fashions on the Field.
Forecast showers held off and the club was rewarded with good numbers through the gates and strong entries on the track and in the Fashions on the Field.
The six race program included three memorial races starting with the Juel Gardiner Memorial Trophy.
Mrs Gardiner was a committee member and long-time supporter of the club up until her death last year.
Race 2 was dedicated to former club secretary, Wayne Thomas, who died in February this year. His legacy, drawing on his experience as a surveyor, included construction of the new back straight in 2015.
Race 6 was dedicated to committee member, Lockie Campbell, who died in 2007.
An on-track highlight of the meeting was the win on Landy in the Wayne Thomas Memorial Open by veteran jockey and trainer, Geoff Brunsdon.
Brunsdon had celebrated his 65th birthday the previous day and blitzed the younger competition leading the pack past the cheering crowd in the first sweep of the 2600 metre race and maintaining the momentum as he stormed home for a win.
Accepting the trophy from Mr Thomas’s wife, Hettie, Mr Brunsdon paid tribute to the ‘excellent’ condition of the track.
“I’ve had a few rides here and the back straight was very low and used to flood,” he observed.
“The way they’ve built it up now – it’s terrific,” he said.
Fashions on the Field made a spectacular debut with Mount Evelyn sisters, Brooke and Nicole Walter taking the reins to run the event for the club.
Girls and boys in the 3-7 and 8-15 age categories had fun on the ‘catwalk’ with some serious fashion statements stepping up in the Couple of the Day, Lady of the Day and Best Pink Outfit categories.
The winning couple was Leanne Sanderson and John Burnett from Sunbury. Liisa Cluning from Kilsyth South was the judges’ choice for Lady of the Day and Alissa Heffernan from Healesville took line honours for her stylish pink outfit.
Ms Cluning said it was great fun being part of the first Fashions event at Healesville.
“As you can see, guys and girls love getting dressed up, it encourages the crowd to get involved and it adds another element to country racing.”
HARC committee member Ben Gilbert said the response had exceeded expectations.
“Picnic races are about relaxed racing but it’s great to be able to add a bit of class and sophistication to the day along with that relaxed atmosphere,” he said.
No date has been set for next year, but the Spring Carnival would have to be odds-on favourite.
