S.A. Pony Trots

The first race was a mixture of the Slow and Slow-Medium classes that saw Reggie Ledgie start of the front mark of 540 metres.  Spirit was having her first start for the season tonight and being driven for the first time by Matthew Basto.  Spirit jumped away quickly and was making good ground on Reggie Ledgie and took over the lead at Norman’s Gate, she looked to be the winner but with 80 metres to go race fitness gave out and Spirit pulled up to a very slow trot enabling Megalight who had been sitting close behind to take over the lead and go on to win ahead of Aadelaidee Lady and Spirit holding on for third.

In the Shetland race tonight we had a new pony having his first start, a little palamino with a bushy white mane named Eddy’s A Fake, he is owned by 2 year old Acacia Hryhorec..  Eddy, being so small started 20 metres behind our other tiny pony PJ who led until the straight before he was overtaken by Eddy’s A Fake driven by Jodie Billinger ahead of the fast finishing Wandarra Tess who alternates his drivers each week and tonight was driven by Matthew Basto.  Jennifer Lehmann stuck to the rails and was able to hold on for third.

The final race for the night was a very even field with most starting within 20 metres of one another and staying together the entire race.  Lapanacaton pulled wide down the back and hit the lead at Norman’s Gate.  There was a great finish coming up with three across the track Chilli Knights on the inside, Lapanacaton in the middle and Westbury Bogart on the outside.  However, the fast class pony Cheeky Charlie, the only backmarker was coming home extremely fast and shocked Westbury Bogart who in turn jumped sideways and galloped momentarily.  Cheeky Charlie hit the front with two strides to go and won by a neck ahead of Chilli Knights on the rails and a nose away to Lapanacaton for third.