Picnic race series starts

“The Condobolin Picnic Race Club Cup is quite unique,” Condobolin Picnic Race Club (CPRC) spokesman Mark Ward said.

“Our cup is worth 10 points to the winner, which is huge as it adds to the points score which helps a horse’s eligibility to qualify for the Picnic Championship Final at Dubbo later in the year.

“Most of the other picnic cups are worth only seven points to the winner.”

All horses that do not receive prizemoney on the day take home $100 per horse.

Among the highlights of the CPRC’s six-event program, which is worth $28,000 plus trophies, is the $8000 Royal Hotel Picnic Cup, as well as a new 1700-metre event.

“While we have changed our program to include class 1 to 6 trophy races, we have also brought back a 1700m race, which is quite a spectacle as they go past the finishing post twice,” Mr Ward said.

The kids can be entertained with a jumping castle and face-painting, with the older participants vying for $1500 cash prizes including the RB Sellars Clothing Fashions on the Field, a lucky race book cash prize, and after the races enjoy live music by Lawson Shire.

As further incentive to the new picnic race series, the NSW Picnic Racing Association will also offer a significant bonus to the riders that attend the most meetings for the year.

Picnic races following Condobolin include Yass on February 25; Tottenham on March 4; Crookwell on March 11; Ardlethan on March 18; and Tullibigeal on March 25.

A CONCLUSION of the lifelong involvement with horses came to an end last November when iconic country horseman Johnny Lundholm OAM senior a long-time resident of Coonamble, passed away at age 85. As well as a successful Australian bronc rider at rodeos, John was among the top trainers in the NSW Central West, accumulating numerous trainer premierships. Some of John’s best gallopers included Marlotta, a multiple city winner who also finished fourth in the 1988 Queensland Oaks, and prolific winners Canterdown, Nampara Bullet and Flash Academy.

By Australian-bred Northern Dancer grandson Sakana, Canterdown was a country cups king, winning 14 races including major cup races at Bathurst (twice), Orange, Trangie, Parkes, Gilgandra, and the Gooree Cut at Mudgee.

John’s legacy continues with his son John junior, who is involved in the industry, and his grandson, former jockey Clint, who is now a successful trainer at Dubbo.

ANOTHER racing stalwart who passed-away last November was Ian Reid, a long-time racing administrator. 

He held the secretary position of the Southern Districts Racing Association for 36 years, served on the NSW Bookmakers Revision Committee for 32 years, and was judge at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club (MTC) at Wagga Wagga for 44 years.

Only retiring from the judge position last year, Ian has been honoured with the MTC Ian Reid Sprint race which was inaugurated in 2015.

SCONE breeder Noel Leckie would have received great joy hearing the fabulous win of Houtzen, who blitzed the field in the $2 million Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic at the Gold Coast last month.

A winner of his only three starts, Houtzen, by I Am Invincible, was bred and sold by Mr Leckie who suddenly passed away at the age of 64 shortly after the Magic Millions.

A long-time Scone racing and breeding identity, Mr Leckie served on the Scone Race Club committee for 23 years, with more than 20 of those spent as either chairman or vice-chairman.

Mr Leckie was also a prominent owner and was part owner of talented stakes winner Voodoo Lad, a winner of more than $670,000 who also finished third in the 2014 Country Championships Final at Randwick.

WINNERS can emerge by any stallion. 

Little known US-bred sire Dixie Prospect was represented with his first winner when three-year-old gelding Dixie Rouge won his maiden race over 1200 metres at Tamworth in January.

Last advertised standing at Tanglewood Farm near Kootingal, Dixie Prospect won two races in England, including a stakes event, and one race in America. 

Dixie Prospect is by Northern Dancer grandson Dixie Union, an outstanding US sire of more than 50 stakes winners.

Interestingly, one of those stakes winners is $1.7 million earner Union Rags, who was runner-up by a narrow margin as champion US first crop sire for 2016.

From 38 live foals from his first four seasons, Dixie Prospect has now had a winner and a placegetter from only four starters.