Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Danny O'Brien has confirmed he'll join a long list of high profile identities attending a charity fundraiser at Woolsthorpe's Union Station Hotel on Monday, April 29.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
O'Brien, who trained Vow And Declare to win the 2019 Melbourne Cup plus numerous other Group One winners and talented jockey Jamie Kah, who rode her 11th Group One winner at Flemington on Saturday, are the latest additions to the list of identities who will mingle with patrons at the popular event orgainsed by racing fans Colin and Janice McKenna.
Union Station Hotel manager Renee Grant said O'Brien, Kah and Australia's number-one race caller Matt Hill were among identities who would attend the fundraiser held on the eve of the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival.
The function has raised more than $275,000 for charities over the past two years.
"It's great that Danny and Jamie have confirmed they will be here for the function," Grant told The Standard.
"We're very excited that they will be here. Danny and Jamie will join Matt and other high-profile identities who are giving up their time to attend the charity fundraiser.
"It's a wonderful gesture by them to think they will be here. The function gives patrons the chance to mix with the identities during the afternoon."
Grant added that champion trainer Ciaron Maher and leading trainers Ben, JD and Will Hayes, plus top jockey Ben Melham would be attending the function.
"Ciaron, the Hayes boys and Ben have also said they'll be here," she said.
"We're just waiting to tick off on another few identities who will be here for the day. I'm hoping we'll have that all sorted out within the next few weeks.
"The last two years have been very big functions but I would say this year's event will be even bigger. We've got some amazing items that will be auctioned during the afternoon and the money raised is going to various charities."
Tickets for the function will go on sale within weeks.
WAIT AND SEE
TRAINER Aaron Purcell is keeping his cards close to his body regarding his runners in this year's $350,000 Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase on May 2.
Purcell indicated Crosshill and Instigator may line up in the famous jumps race for the Group One winning trainer.
"There's still a bit of water to go under the bridge about our Grand Annual runners but at this stage I'm looking at running Crosshill and Instigator in the Annual," he said.
"There's a few options open to us to get them into the Grand Annual field. With jumping horses things can change pretty dramatically.
"I don't like looking too far ahead with jumpers. I've been very happy with how Crosshill and Instigator have come back into work.
"I would like to think we could have a strong hand in a few other jumps races this season with horses like Rising Renown and The Rattlin' Bog but as I said things can change quickly."
Purcell won the 2008 Grand Annual with Ginolad.
UNDERRATED
TERANG trainer Jamie Barry was upbeat with the effort of rank outsider Frose to run third in a $60,000 benchmark 70, under the lights at Moonee Valley last Friday.
Bookmakers offered as much as $150 for Frose's chances of winning the 1000-metre contest.
Barry said he thought the mare was over the odds at $150.
"I thought the bookies were a bit generous with the odds," he said.
"Frose had only two runs for me before Friday's third-placing and I thought she might have been a shade unlucky but I'm not complaining.
"We'll look at taking Frose to Sandown for her next run in a benchmark 64 over 1000 metres on March 20."
Frose, who was formerly trained by Ciaron Maher, took her stake earnings to over $100,000 with Friday nights third-placing.
SIDELINED
YOUNG apprentice jockey Ryan Houston pleaded guilty to a careless riding charge following his ride on Donation at Ararat.
Houston was outed for eight meetings. His suspension starts midnight, March 10 and ends midnight, March 16.
Stewards deemed the incident to be in the low range.
Madison Lloyd will spend nine meetings on the sidelines after pleading guilty to a careless riding charge.
Her time out started at midnight on March 4 and ends midnight March 11. Stewards took into account Lloyd's good riding record before handing down the penalty.
NEW DEAL
TABCORP and the Victorian Racing Industry have reached an agreement on commercial terms to end its historic VicTAB joint venture.
The Victorian state government announced in December 2023 Tabcorp had been awarded the new Victorian Wagering Licence which takes effect from August 2024.
The VicTAB joint venture and associated industry funding agreements, which have been in place through multiple iterations over a period of 30 years, will conclude at the same time.
The key items in the agreement are a fixed minimum guaranteed amount of funding for the VRI for the balance of the current VicTAB joint venture term, providing the three codes of Victorian racing with important near-term funding certainty and a further incremental financial benefit as the VRI changes to a new industry funding framework.
A further $45 million in additional funding payments will be paid by Tabcorp to the VRI in instalments of $15 million in each of the first three years of the new licence period.
WHO TO FOLLOW
MORAL FORCE: Missed the start by a couple of lengths before finishing off a 1200-metre race strongly. With a bit of luck he should have run a place and would have been really competitive if he had jumped clearly from the barriers.
AYRTON: Looked the unlucky runner in Saturday's Blamey Stakes. He was held up for clear running in he straight. He went to the line strongly to run third. Keep him in mind in similar company the next time he supports silks.
DYER: Impressive two-year-old winner at his debut. In the Hickmott stable, Dyer should go through his grades.
RIFF ROCKET: Prepared to forget his performance in the Australian Guineas. He was caught up back in the run at a vital stage of the race. Don't drop off him. He'll be winning again soon.
