Plastic fantastic at Healesville

By Kath Gannaway
HEALESVILLE races got off to a brilliant season start on Saturday with 3500 people flocking to the course for Derby Day – country style.
They weren’t disappointed. True, there were no roses, but there was plenty of spring fashion, picnics on the lawns, some solid fields on the track – both in the horse events and the children’s running events – and plenty of action under the new under-cover bookies arena.
A highlight of the day for the Healesville Amateur Racing Club committee, and for those involved in the serious business of horse-racing – jockeys, trainers and horses – was the launch of the new all plastic running rail.
A solid week of work by the volunteer committee went into setting the running rail in place for the start of the season and it proved a winner with the jockeys and trainers.
HARC vice-president Anthony Schache said the feed-back was all good on the running rail with comments reflecting admiration for the club’s initiative in leading the way on an important safety aspect of racing.
With the weather, a well-behaved crowd and lots of family activity, Mr Schache said the committee couldn’t have wished for a better day.
“The format we’re aiming for, and what we got on Saturday, is nice and relaxed and great way to introduce people to racing in a safe, affordable, friendly atmosphere,” he said.
The HARC season continues on Saturday 14 November with races on 12 December, the Healesville Cup on 9 January and other meetings on 7 February, 27 February and 3 April.