FIRST LOOK: Allman Park back in action

Check out the winners, patrons, and punters out in force at Warwick Turf Club’s race day.

TIGHT RACE: A close contest in the second race on today’s card, the TAB Maiden Handicap 1200m. Picture: Jessica Paul

HORSES: A warm winter’s day and ideal track conditions inspired high spirits at the Warwick Turf Club today, with scores of patrons turning out for their first race day in months.

The seven-race TAB event marked Allman Park’s reopening to the public, with a number of Warwick trainers looking for an at-home win.

Warwick Turf Club president Phil Grant said he was pleased to see so many members of the community at the track, despite ongoing social distancing measures.

“I’m really happy with how today’s gone so far – it’s pretty much what we expected in terms of people coming out,” Mr Grant said.

“It does give us a bit of confidence for (our Cup Day) in October, but we just have to keep our fingers crossed for now.

“A lot of people like to come down and get behind the local horses, so it’d be good to see one of them take away a cheque as well.”

In one of the biggest upsets of the day, six-year-old stallion Dydee’s Girl, trained by Springsure-based Vic Heading and jockeyed by Girish Goomany, overcame 100 to one odds to win the maiden handicap 2000m race.

At this stage, a Warwick trainer was yet to place, though Scott Barker, Michael Hemmings, Stephanie Sixtus, and Gino Barbierato all had horses yet to race.

Former Warwick resident Kate Buckman and friend Boris Batenov drove more than five hours from Coffs Harbour to make it to Allman Park’s race day.

“I come to the races all the time – I teared up the first time they went past,” Batenov said.

“It’s been six months or something since we last went to the races, so it was worth the trip.”

GALLERY: Warwick Race Day

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