Festive start for Stony racing

CHRISTMAS parties, fine fashions and an exciting program of races marked a successful start to the Stony Creek Racing Club’s season on Saturday.
Fortunately the rain held off and special guest and lifelong racing club member Alma Westwood of Yarram was honoured with her own race to mark her milestone 100th birthday, celebrated on September 2 this year.
Mrs Westwood did what she loves doing: dressing up and going to the races.
And she looked a treat enjoying the day in the comfort of the Stony Creek club dining room.
Using her birth date she backed two and nine in the Alma Westwood 100 Handicap, race number nine named after her by the board.
It was a lucky race for Alma with her number nine Rokeby winning by a head and she was thrilled to collect for the first time that day.
Most likely due to the threat of wet weather, numbers at the scenic track were slightly down on expectations, but the picnic atmosphere was colourful as always.
Party dress abounded, especially in the marquee enclosure, and Terry Grace, overseeing his first race meeting at the track since taking over as chief executive officer and club president Paul O’Sullivan, were smiling.
They were delighted to present bouquets to Mrs Westwood and her good friend accompanying her for the day, also a keen racegoer, 90 year old Mrs Nina Jeffs.
Mrs Jeffs is still rounding up the best odds in the bookies arena.
Speed to Safety winner, Georgia Filippi who rode her 25 year old horse Smoky in the novelty event, was presented on track with a sash by jockey Jason Benbow.
There were more than 1000 people at the track and the jockeys and stewards declared the track excellent.
The jockeys said it was the best they had seen it.
Luck was on the side of the club too with meetings at Traralgon, Balnarring and Benalla cancelled on the weekend due to the rain.
The next race meeting at Stony Creek is on December 27.

Winners: owner/trainer Luke Oliver, jockey Adam McCabe, race sponsor Al Brearley from Caulfield Heath, and Stony Creek Racing Club CEO Terry Grace at the presentation following race four, the Caulfield Heath Handicap won by Suvarna, a short odd favourite.

You beauty: trainer, Tabatha Cunningham with Rokeby that won the Alma Westwood 100 Handicap by a head at Stony
Creek.

Star attraction: Stony Creek Racing Club president Paul O’Sullivan presented 100 year old member, Alma Westwood of Yarram with a bunch of flowers at the opening race day for the season on Saturday.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Dec 10 2014. Filed under Featured, Sport. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry