Spring racing is up and about with the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate run and won and the Victoria Derby and the Melbourne Cup to be decided in the next seven days. Racing locally will see the annual fixtures at Traralgon (Saturday) and Bairnsdale (Tuesday).
Both clubs are expecting large crowds, with people keen to experience racing at its finest, up close and personal with fun, fashion and hospitality the order of the day.
With some moisture expected to be in the track at Traralgon, some horses to follow might be Good Harmony (Peter Gelagotis), Shamrock Bay (Paul and Tracey Templeton) and Norma’s Fleet (Kerry Farrugia).
Good Harmony has impressed in two maiden runs, with 1430 metres looking ideal.
Shamrock Bay looked home at Moe when straightening up with a huge lead first up, and although he goes out a further 100 metres in distance, the short Traralgon straight will be ideal.
Norma’s Fleet doesn’t win out of turn, but has shown improvement in two runs this time in. If it gets really wet, then this Irish-bred mare comes into her own.
Reigning premier picnic trainer, Traralgon’s Troy Kilgower, has started the season in sensational fashion, backing up his Corinthian trifecta at Cranbourne, with a late double at Yea’s season opener and a winner last Saturday at Alexandra.
Kilgower and Sebastian Galea combined for a race-to-race double to close the card at Yea, with Houdini Catarno and Eight Shout’s, while Ben Moffatt was the winning jockey at Alexandra on Nic Says No.
The 2025 Bombala Cup meeting was recently staged with a couple of Gippsland trainers trying their luck.
Moe trainer Michael Templeton had three placed runners on the card, but he was unable to emulate his 2019 deed when he won the cup with Ruth’s Boy, who was ridden by Belinda Wright.
Interestingly current Gippsland-based rider, Koby Jennings, won the cup back in 2013 aboard Back to Zero for the Baroness of Bombala, Barabara Joseph and son, Paul Jones.
