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SPRINT RACING AT GREAT WESTERN - VICTORIA
The Victorian Arabian Jockey Club (VAJC) has been a great ally of the Sprint Industry in Victoria over the years particularly at the Great Western TB race track.
The first co-operative venture was on the 26th January, 1998 when the VAJC conducted racing for Sprinters & Arabians at Great Western. The Sprinters who ran at the race meeting were:
- Blazing Glory (QH) - owned by John Costello & Tommy Hall
- Barron Falls (QH) - owned by Ventry Wall
- Sir Wembly (QH) - owned by Ventry Wall
- Belle Cherie (QH) - owned by A.D. & F. Brereton
- Super Edition (QH) - owned by T.Hall & R.Shipp
On Sunday 1 March 1998 the VAJC again presented a program of Arabian & Sprint Horse Racing at Great Western Racecourse in Western Victoria.
Three (3) races were conducted for Sprinters, a 402m Maiden, 402m Class 1 and an Open 500m Handicap. The list of Sprint Horses and owners that raced at that first combined race meeting makes interesting reading:
- Jaylans Don (QH) - owned by C.Stroud
- Lady Lawen (QH) - owned by Tony Smith
- Legal Leader (QH) - owned by C.Camilleri
- Alkie (TB) - owned by Murray Baird.
- Shade of Pale (QH) - owned by Sandra Zimmerman
- Swagman (QH) - owned by O.Taylor
- Mighty Gem (TB) - owned by Tony Smith
- Belle Cherie (QH) - owned by D & F Brereton
- A’La Mon (QH) - owned by Tony Smith
- Hemp Special (QH) - owned by W.Davey
- Currajon Passport (QH) - owned by Sandra Zimmerman
- Makin A Flash (QH) - owned by Murray Baird.
At the request of the GSRC, in 1999 the Victorian Arabian Jockey Club arranged for Dan Fick from the AmQHA to accompany VAJC representative Maureen Milburn to a meeting, already organised with Victorian Racing Minister The Honourable Robert Hulls to discuss Alternate Breed Racing.
Mr Hulls was impressed with the presentation and on the spot approved changes to the VAJC Mixed Sports Permit allowing Bookmakers to field on Sprinters at Great Western in 2000. A Press release on Alternate Breed Racing released by Minister Hull’s Office can be found here.......
Minister Hulls later conducted a Press Conference on the lawns of Parliament House in Melbourne to promote Quarter Horse and Arabian Racing in Victoria. Photos were taken by the major metropolitan Herald Newspaper and a copy of the article relating to this conference can be found here.... while other media reports on racing at Great Western can be found here..A photo of Minister Hulls seated on a racehorse at Parliament House can be seen here....
The VAJC worked closely with the VRQHA committee and Mr John Honeyman of the VRQHA personally took charge of arrangements for attracting Sprinters to Great Western. The arrangements required the VRQHA to take nominations and advise the VAJC as the Mixed Sports Gathering permit holder of the race fields.
The VAJC subsequently presented racing for Sprint Horses and Arabian horses at the Thoroughbred meetings conducted at Great Western Racecourse Vic. on the 26th January 2000 & 27th January 2001.
In both years the Sprint Horse Racing was conducted by the VAJC under SRAC Rules of Racing, the Chief Steward for the Meeting, Robert Plumb, was appointed by the VAJC and all officials were local Racing Victoria employees. Mr Hulls attended the 2000 meeting as a guest of the Great Western Race Club having been invited to attend by Maureen Milburn at the meeting with Dan Fick.
Great Western Race Club issued no further invitations to the VRQHA to race after 2001 when Great Western officials lodged formal complaints relating to the behaviour of VRQHA Officials with both the VRQHA and the AQHA.
Regrettably, despite the best efforts of the Victorian Arabian Jockey Club & Great Western Race Club, with no opposition from the TB Industry and active support from the Victorian Government this was the end of Sprint Racing at Great Western race track.
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