Sport
16 October, 2023
Punters poised for Girls Night Out in Ararat
Dress in a red themed outfit for a chance to win great some great prizes.
The Ararat Harness Racing Club plays host to an eight-event card under the lights at R.T. White Raceway on Thursday, October 19.
The action out on the track will be fast and furious and inside it's Girls Night Out - an evening of fun, frivolity glamour and glitz.
The Girls will be entertained by On Tap Music, the always popular Punters Club, competitions and giveaways with special guest harness stars.
Dress in a red themed outfit for a chance to win great some great prizes. Bookings are essential on 0477 689674.
On the racing front Ararat horseman Mick Bellman looks to have a great chance in the opener with Livermere drawn gate 4 in a $10,000 Vicbred Platinum 3YO+ Maiden Pace.
Great Western horseman Daryl Crone has a live chance of success in race two, the $6000 Premix King Ararat Pace, with his 4yo gelding Wichita Dance.
The third event, $7000 Lee Kernaghan Live @ Stawell 4/11 Pace looks a three way go between trainers Marnie Bibby, Rod Carberry and Marg Lee with their runners Emjaybee (5), Vinny Rock (3) and Keayang Ladybug (6)respectively.
The Tim O'Brien trained Dancingallalone (11) looks ready to bounce back to form in the fifth of the night, $ 6000 All n One Cleaning Trotters Handicap with Amunet (6) the main danger.
An interesting runner in the sixth, is former Sunraysia filly Online Model (3) now with Armstrong trainer Leroy O'Brien.
The racing concludes at 9.30pm with the $4500 Terang Tender Pace and looks ideal for the Ken Taylor Jnr. trained gelding, Kempseys Delight (3) with Ryan Backhouse in the sulky.
The 10yo was narrowly beaten at the last Ararat fixture and it would be great to see the iron-horse add another at its 225th outing.
Dunn, Backhouse rewarded for consistency
Aaron Dunn and Ryan Backhouse were rewarded for the long haul up to Mildura on Friday with Dunn posting training/driving double from his five runners and Backhouse landing two winners from his six drives.
Dunn's double came courtesy of 9yo gelding Regardless in a $4500 NR 46-55 Pace.
It was the veteran's second win since returning to the racetrack after a lengthy absence and the tenth of its 85 start career.
Stablemate My Korona proved too good for the opposition $8000 Mildura Mares Pace.
Drawn the extreme outside of the second line, Dunn pushed the 4yo mare through early, sat three wide around the first turn then quickly worked to the front after they'd gone 400 metres.
The daughter of Dunn's Albert Alber USA mare Madazhell is the winner of 7 from 37 starts with a bank of $63,960.
Backhouse had saluted earlier on in the $6000 Park Douglas Printing Pace with Daylight for Coomealla trainer Fred Posgate.
The 4yo mare led from gate two, and after being nicely rated held off a late charge from Goodtime Jazzi to score score by a head.
The 12 race Mildura cards stretch out a long way and five hours later Backhouse returned to the winner's circle with You Little Terror for Merbein trainer Danny Weinert.
Ryan, who celebrated his 18th birthday earlier in the week, bought his charge with a well timed run from midfield at the bell to score, untouched, by seven metres.
Two in a row for Curyo Gentleman
Horsham pacer Curyo Gentleman made it two in a row for the Connelly family and trainer Rod Carberry at Maryborough last Thursday afternoon.
The 3yo gelding started favourite after an impressive victory on his home track a fortnight earlier and
Driver Michael Bellman waited for the dust to settle after the start of the 1690m contest then quickly took Curyo Gentleman forward to race outside the leader with 1200 remaining.
They dictated the tempo through the middle stages and were untroubled to score by 11 metres in a rate of 1:57.1.
They're off:
Ararat (N) Girls Night Out, Wednesday October 18;
Maryborough (D) Sunday October, 22;
Hamilton (D) Wednesday October 25;
Maryborough (D) Redwood Classic & Vic. Trotters Derby, Sunday, October 29;
Swan Hill Cup (N) Friday November 3; and
St. Arnaud Cup Sunday, November 5.