By Kath Gannaway
DERBY Day racing at Healesville on Saturday saw the 2008/09 season get away to a great start.
A record crowd estimated by Healesville Amateur Racing Club president John O’Neill at around 3500 crowded the lawns, marquees and shaded picnic areas in perfect spring racing weather.
The six-race program which attracted horses from Gippsland, Kilmore, Caulfield, Mornington and Seymour provided plenty of on-track action with the TAB and bookies also taking bets on the Derby at Flemington.
A highlight of the day saw Shomari, riden by Healesville regular Adam Bodey and trained by Nancy Butterworth of Cranbourne take out the Charlie Booth Memorial Race.
Mr Booth, first secretary of the club and a regular at the club’s meetings and AGMs, died in May at 104 … and a half.
He was also a professional athlete who continued to run as a “master” well in to old age.
The large smile and good sense of humour mentioned by Mr O’Neill in his tribute to the former club stalwart would have been put to good use had Charlie Booth been around on Saturday … for two reasons.
Mrs Butterworth said Shomari answered best to “Charlie”, his paddock name.
Not only that, Healesville was an important race for the six-year-old who, if aspiring to a long career on the track like his namesake, needed to perform well.
“If he didn’t win today he was going to be finished,” Mrs Butterworth said, causing Charlie’s ears to prick up a little.
She thinks he may have had an inkling anyway.
“If they knew the alternative, they’d all run fast,” she added.
If Cranbourne’s Charlie has anything like the staying power of Healesville’s Charlie, he could be around for a while yet. The next race meeting at Healesville is on Saturday, 15 November.
