A huge crowd of enthusiastic racegoers descended on picturesque Canni Creek last Saturday for the running of the annual Buchan and Gelantipy Racing Club picnic races, highlighted by 137th running of the historic Buchan Cup.
People travelled from Melbourne and all over Gippsland for the day with several former locals making the pilgrimage back from interstate to partake in the fun and festive atmosphere of what is fast becoming East Gippsland’s number one race day.
Buchan and Gelantipy Racing Club secretary, Ian Dunkley, was delighted with the day, with the second highest crowd ever in attendance.
“It was an excellent day, everything ran like clockwork, making it one of the best days ever,” Dunkley said.
Saturday’s crowd has only been topped in recent years by the return to racing after bushfires devastated the region.
The cup was taken out by much travelled Sale galloper, Wiesenbach, who is trained by Kerry Farrugia and was ridden perfectly by Mornington jockey, Sophie Clayfield.
A grey gelding, Wiesenbach was the despised outsider of the field starting at $15, but no one told him, leading from start to finish, racing away late to defeat last year’s winner, Mornington galloper, Laststrikeyourout, and Moe-trained Ace Deucy.
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Wiesenbach is a much-travelled galloper. Born in England, before racing in Italy and Hong Kong, he came to Australia for a career under the tutelage of Gai Waterhouse, but after showing little form he found his way to the Farrugia yard at Sale.
It was great to see Kerry Farrugia smiling post race, enduring a tough past 12
months with the passing of both mother Fay and dad, Gippsland Racing Hall of Fame trainer, Mario.
Kerry was a successful jockey the 1980s and 90s, remembered as the first female apprentice in Victoria to outride her country claim, achieving this in November 1985 at a Sale meeting, where she combined with her father to win four races on the day.
Training honours on the day went to Traralgon’s Troy Kilgower, who presented 12 horses, preparing a double with Eileanour and Tottenham Hotspur successful.
Henry Jaggard took riding honours with two winners, scoring on Tottenham Hotspur and Jenni of Avalon for Sale trainer, Paul Worthington.
The most popular win on the program was that of Doctor Coto for Ensay trainer Rob Gillahan and Moe hoop, Caitlin King.
King was delighted to salute, punching the air as she crossed the line in one of the support races.
Fashions on the field were again popular with Buchan’s Nicole Guns taking out lady of the day, while the tiny tot was won by her son, Tanner Guns-Collings.
The dapper section went to Fletcher Sandy, with Chloe McCole winning the best dressed in the 6-16 year age bracket.
The sprints and lolly drops were again popular with the large crowd with the footballers sprint won by Orbost’s Lachie Fenner who was too fast for a large field.
Heidei Lawrence proved too slick in netballers sprint, despite being more suitably attired for fashions on the field.
