They should have more stands at these community race meetings (well, all race meetings if you ask me), it was the best race of the day. There might not have been any turnover records broken but local owners and trainers (plus Collie and Busso, and places in between) get to race at their home track, collect their trophies (What Are The Odds and Soundwave) and the Pony Trots had two runs.....I think that was the only winner the Suvaljkos landed. Chuck in not one but two bouncy castles and the Icecream Van......surely they can give this club more than a paltry two meetings a year. Good crowd on hand and once again, the Race Caller did a superb job all day filling in the gaps, calling 8 races and two pony trots with genuine interest, and importantly, getting all the horses names correct with no sex changes. Matt makes a great contribution to these community race meetings.

Best of all, it was just a 25 minute drive down the road, parking was a piece of cake, and unlike GP, there were plenty of like minded people to talk to. Doesn't get any better.

Race 2-   Arma Einstein,  Power And Grace,  Jett Star,  Hengheng

Race 3-   Manning,  Valentines Brook,  Awaitinginstructions,  Alta Rhett

Race 4-   Lawrence,  Know When To Run,  Leosabi,  Caveman

Race 5-   Papinik,  Miracle Moose,  To Fast To Serious,  Texas Tiger

Race 6-   Tricky Ric,  Beefour Bacardi,  Son Of A Whiz,  Majestic Dream

Race 7-   Black Jack Zac,  Tellmetoattack,  Leap Of Faith,  Our Sequel

Race 8-   Booraa,  Eighteen Carat,  Livy Jay,  Nullarbor Navajo

Race 9-   Dont Bother Me None,  Pocket The Cash,  Valbonne,  McArdles Gem

Race 10- American Monarch,  August Moon,  Zephyra,  Hello Gorgeous 

Race 2-   Valentines Brook,  Doc Holliday,  Rock Me Over,  Rockaball

Race 3-   Ima Fivestar General,  Dont Bother Me None,  Power And Grace,  Zazu

Race 4-   To Fast To Serious,  Heez Our Perseus,  Vespa,  Thomson Bay

Race 5-   The Miki Taker,  Swingband,  Jackpot Joe,  Maungatahi

Race 6-   Flametree,  American Monarch,  August Moon,  Sweet Vivienne

Race 7-   Hittheroadjack,  Lawrence,  American Bullitt,  Captured Delight

Race 8-   Bettorstartdreaming,  Mattjestic Star,  CC Chevron,  McArdles Gem

Race 9-   Mighty Ronaldo,  Manning,  Tyler Brett,  Galactic Star

Race 10- Jett Star,  Give Us A Wave,  Valbonne,  Sports Package

  

Cheers.

Race 2 : The Tiger Army

Race 3 : Vespa

Race 4 : Diego

Race 5 : Orlando Blue

Race 6 : Angel In White

Race 7 : Just Wing It

Race 8 : Hello Gorgeous

Race 9 : Batavia On Fire

Race 10 : Rock Me Over

Race 1-   Franco Ecuador,  Orlando Blue,  Star Of Willoughby,  Zazu

Race 2-   Heez Our Perseus,  Double Up,  Vespa,  Typhoon Banner

Race 3-   Sovrana,  Wonderful To Fly,  Taking The Miki,  Queeninthecorner

Race 4-   Tricky Miki,  Floewriter,  Swingband,  Rock On Top

Race 5-   Between Two Thorns,  Temukas Girl,  American Monarch,  Cabsav

Race 6-   Valedictorian,  Rocket City,  Juggernaut,  Crowd Control

Race 7-   Chicago Bull,  Patronus Star,  Golden State,  To Fast To Serious

Race 8-   Mighty Ronaldo,  Gambit,  Tyler Brett,  Will I Rocknroll

Race 9-   Savvy Bromac,  My Prayer,  Sheez Our Hope,  Angel In White

Race 10- Hampton Banner,  Valentines Brook,  Alta Rhett,  Withoutthetuh

Race 11- Robbie Rocket,  Valbonne,  Rock Me Over,  Sports Package

R1- Batavia Dreamer

R2- Navajo Trailblazer

R3- Shes A Harleequinn

R4- Tux And Tails

R5- Fleur Du Maquis

R6- Nullarbor Navajo

R7- Thomson Bay

R8- Quick Mamba

R9- Smokeys Shadow

Race 1-   Blitzembye,  Orlando Blue,  Dont Bother Me None,  Bettor Get It On

Race 2-   Hampton Banner,  Know When To Run,  Vespa,  Hotfoot It

Race 3-   Diego,  Tyler Brett,  Leosabi,  Doc Holliday

Race 4-   Gambit,  Double Up,  Typhoon Banner,  Just Wing It

Race 5-   Blissfullabbey,  Suing You,  Captured Delight,  Vivere Damore

Race 6-   Miracle Moose,  Chicago Bull,  Papinik,  Mighty Conqueror

Race 7-   Caveman,  Rock Me Over,  Carrera Mach,  Allwoods Rocknroll

Race 8-   Floewriter,  The Miki Taker,  Swingband,  Maungatahi

Race 9-   Overjoyed,  Miss Mucho,  Valbonne,  Sports Package

Race 10- Tears Of Joy,  Tricky Ric,  Beefour Bacardi,  Majestic Dream

R1- Write A Melody

R2- Diamondsonthebeach

R3- Simply Shaz

R4- Nullarbor Navajo

R5- Troopingofthecolor

R6- Major Artist

R7- Seven Demerits

R8- Gregorian Chant

R9- Navajo Trailblazer

R10- Travelban

Chariots, one horse appearing frequently through the season......Billy Collette for M.Cooper....fast class horse, numerous 2nds from rearward marks, 2nd in a 2.17 and better from 48 yards behind, so a 2.13 assessed horse. 2nd to Kodak in the Australia Day Handicap, 2nd to Shoemaker in the Labour Day Handicap, great record. Family connection I am assuming?

One day, after checking a few things, I will put it together as a hopefully coherent stroll through what was a great era of 15,000 plus crowds on a weekly basis at Brennan Park and Richmond Raceway. On course tote figures are remarkable.  A few snippets...leading metro driver was Alan Woodworth (29) from Max Johnson (27) and Phil Coulson (24.5) ....Coulson dominated but was 'off the scene" for 2 months and Ted Greig (who would perform marvels in rehabilitating the  smashed up champion Cardigan Bay 12 months later) won a bunch of races driving for him on Shalamak. Leading owners were Stan Woodworth (4830 pounds), the3 Dorman Brothers (4755 pounds) and Bob Meotti who owned Shalamak (3755 pounds).

Race 2-   Gambit,  Valentines Brook,  Arma Einstein,  Alta Rhett

Race 3-   Al Guerrero,  Classic Choice,  Sangue Reale,  Mirragon

Race 4-   Savvy Bromac,  Taking The Miki,  Sheez Our Hope,  My Prayer

Race 5-   Minstrel,  Patronus Star,  Vultan Tin,  Diego

Race 6-   Has No Fear,  Vespa,  Carrera Mach,  The Tiger Army

Race 7-   Captured Delight,  Doc Holliday,  Regal Scribe,  Hotfoot It

Race 8-   Wonderful To Fly,  Sovrana,  Queeninthecorner,  Dontbesillychilli

Race 9-   Beach Start,  Valbonne,  Blue Blazer,  Apollo Rock

Race 10- Leap Of Faith,  Rock Me Over,  Sameplace Sametime,  Tellmetoattack

He was by a not terribly fashionable imported American stallion that none the less did a decent job in WA. His dam, bred by an extremely prominent bookmaker come owner breeder from days past....and we are talking really prominent here....was based on the age old proven cross of Raider over Globe Derby....and lined up very nicely to an Adios imported sire.

As a 2 year old with his then hobby trainer, he was an early goer winning a prized classic and was runner up in the major 2 year old race of the day. Put away for his 3 year old campaign and taken over by a very prominent city stable, he came back bigger and more brilliant and annexed the group 1 three year old classic plus what was known back then as the Sires Produce Stake. However, it was a 4 year old that he really shot the lights out. Just 12 starts for 7 wins starting with his qualifying stakes as he zoomed through the classes, creating a picket fence  of 4 in town along the way. Heat and Final of a big Christmas limited class race was easy pickings and he progressed to a tight mark with late season victories in winter on the softer tracks. He was adept from the stand or the mobile and often won from back marks.

Arguably, his best season of racing was as a 5 year old during which he NEVER won a race. His 15 starts produced five 2nd's, four 3rd's and three 4th's as he took on the best in the land in the very biggest of races across Australia including races like the WA Cup and the Interdominion. So close so many times, placed in multiple group1 races and other group 2 and 3 races and he raced with courage and distinction but he just couldn't quite crack it up against some of the genuine super stars of the day who were and continue to be household names.

He never raced as a 6 or 7 year old due to injury and after a 3 year break, he returned to racing for 9 more starts as an 8 year old for a feature fast class win and a number of placings before taking another hiatus due to leg issues. He had one unsuccessful start as a 10 year  before retiring to stud. He was poorly patronised at stud, producing only 43 foals for 7 starters and just 3 winners. But in his prime on the race track, everyone knew who he was....and maybe some might still recall his deeds.

Race 1-   Regal Scribe,  Has No Fear,  Sweet Maddison,  Rock Me Over

Race 2-   Star Of Willoughby,  Alta Rhett,  Mister Bushido,  Alice Kay

Race 3-   Double Up,  Tyler Brett,  Gambit,  Bettorstartdreaming

Race 4-   Magnificent Storm,  Galactic Star,  Bletchley Park,  Miracle Moose

Race 5-   Beefour Bacardi,  Tricky Ric,  Tears Of Joy,  Son Of A Whiz

Race 6-   Golden State,  Nota Bene Denario,  Sir Galahad,  Alta Intrigue

Race 7-   Sahara Storm,  Sheez Our Hope,  Angel In White,  Misstiano

Race 8-   Dominus Factum,  Orlando Blue,  Arma Einstein,  Overjoyed

Race 9-   Wonderful To Fly,  Taking The Miki,  Sonic Suzy,  Dontbesillychilli

Race 10- Prince Of Pleasure,  Pradason,  Valbonne,  Soho Gigolo

R1- Batavia Blackhole

R2- Yankees Jewel

R3- Save This Dance

R4- Bettor Class

R5- Adore Me Some More

R6- Sugar Street

R7- Camluck King

R8- Navajo Trailblazer

Miracle Moose should get a start and the further they go (2900 metres) the better he gets. The Bull still tough to beat, as is Minstrel.

Continuing on from the Busselton & Albany Cups this should be a country cup worth watching.

Good luck to all in the fray.

Albany Cup : Desiderio

Race 7 : Irish Coffee

Race 2 : Eldaytona

Race 3 : Squinta

Race 4 : Have a go Joe

Race 5 : Thereugo

Race 6 : Machs Bettor

Race 7 : Im Spiderman

Race 8 : Cooper

Race 9 : Iron Annie

Race 2 : Temukas Girl

Race 3 : Save This Dance

Race 4 : Good Day Sunshine

Race 5 : Sound Wave

Race 6 : Robbie Rocket

Race 7 : Pinny Tiger

Race 8 : HitTheRoadJack

Race 9 : Diamond Dance

There were many strings to Mick's bow.....his father, later to become a famous seafood restauranter, started off life in WA as the proprietor of the Swan Cafe in Northam in 1929, and then onto the Sydney Cafe when they shifted to Perth......two of the sons went down the food pathway (The Oyster Bar, Simon's etc), the other two, John and Mick, down the medicine pathway. John became a famous spine surgeon and Mick became a hugely loved and admired GP. He was also the East Perth Footy Club doctor around the time of Polly, he was Doctor to many of the trotting fraternity from both sides of the river, a keen fan of GP and any where else a race was run and a consultation in his surgery nearly always reverted to a study of the form guide for the Saturday night trots once the prescription for Bott's Chemist was written. Is it worth mentioning there was a very handy SP shop behind the barbers not more than 250 yards from the surgery?

Anyone down on their luck (our family included) frequently received generous largesse (no Medicare in those days) in the form of 'don't worry about the bill, just do as I say and get well." He became an owner and his best horse, Mount Mist, raced through the classes to Free For All company in the hands of Alan Woodworth and Phil Coulson, and a visit to the Lekias Family Home always included a showing of the Navy Cup won by Mount Mist at Richmond Raceway in 1968, ploughing through the mud for Phil on a shocker of a night weather wise. My dad was the timekeeper and Mick put him through the 3rd degree questioning the very slow mile rate. "They don't pay any more for a win in fast time Mick" was the conversation ender.

Mick was also the Mayor of Canning for years and years and was afforded Freeman Status (Keys to the City) for his service. We are not sure how old he was ....discussions this morning suggested he was 90 plus.....but he will be fondly remembered. When a family member was in the latter stages of a terminal illness, Mick would attend at the drop of a hat, a famous visit at 3.30am in the morning to administer pain relief was highlighted by his attire......pyjamas and dressing gown offset with leather shoes and socks and his leather doctors case full of administrations. I am afraid that house visits are a thing of the past nowadays but nothing was too much trouble for Uncle Mick. Many old time trotting blokes tipped out at trackwork without two bob to their name would attest to that.

Race 2 : Marcotti

Race 3 : State Of Heaven

Race 4 : Gov Starzz

Race 5 : Deep Blue

Race 6 :Sanford Tilly

Race 7 : Thomson Bay

Race 8 : Name in Lights

Race 9 : Ay Milton