HORSE racing returned to Healesville on Saturday with a crowd of around 2500 people enjoying the belated first meeting of the 2012/13 season.
The season was held up due to work on the back straight with the Healesville Amateur Racing Club (HARC) getting the go-ahead from Country Racing Victoria just two weeks ago to race.
Cranbourne jockey Dani Walker who rode Cheeky Wizard to a win in the RACV Healesville Country Club Cup couldn’t have been happier with the trifector – great horse, great track, great win!
Walker said they brought Cheeky to Healesville to win and weren’t disappointed with the nine-year-old showing the personality and heart which has made him a favourite of her own and of owners Sharon Mitchell and Ray West.
Walker has ridden at Healesville before and said the track performed well.
“The grass cover and the surface is really fantastic,” she said. “It’s held up to the races, and the drainage is better than anyone could have expected.
“It’s a good surface to race on,” she said.
HARC president David Purcell couldn’t have been happier either. He said Walker’s comments were indicative of the feedback they were getting from all the jockeys.
“What we’re hearing is that they’re exceptionally happy with the condition of the track, and the fact that it’s racing very evenly,” he said.
Mr Purcell said the meeting, held in perfect racing weather, had attracted a good crowd who were enjoying being back underneath the pin-oaks at Healesville.
The club is now looking forward to the Healesville Cup on Saturday 6 April.
