Feast of top racing and family fun at Marburg

SUNDAY'S Marburg family race day includes a large slice of the Oktoberfest/Graham Harriott Memorial meeting.

Close racing is regularly the order of the day at Marburg meetings. Picture: Rob Williams

TROT TACTICS

SUNDAY'S Marburg family race day includes a large slice of the Oktoberfest/Graham Harriott Memorial meeting.

Further features are the final two rounds of the Garrards-Marburg Young Driver's Championship and the Whiteoak Capital Marburg Marathon over 2900 metres.

Mini-trot races will culminate in "pat-a-pony" and the trophy for the most successful mini driver of the year.

Off track, Marburg has the TAB van, "funny money" and 'pick the card' ($1700 share), with Fashions On The Field, hosted by local businesses Elly-Rae Fashions of Rosewood, and B's Hair Salon and Barbershop at Willowbank.

The monster raffle goes to "Ride And Stride" a fundraiser undertaken by Rosewood identity Chrissie Turner to assist missionary work in Cambodia.

Craft beer, "kranskies", and the usual top country burgers will be available plus a supervised rock climbing wall, face painting and water slide for the kids.

Admission is adults $5, members and pensioners $3 and race books $3.

Gates open at 11am with the first race at 12.38pm.

Full fields in Saturday's QT.

Come and join the excitement.

Proper horse care

THE following proves conclusively that our four-legged mates, the horses, still have the strong support and enduring gratitude, of a great number of owners who race them for pleasure.

It is a compilation of possible strategies, put together by several people who could best be described as dual code owners. They are, above all, friends and allies of the average racehorse.

They have thought long and hard about this submission, and it is a privilege to present part of it here.

Firstly for us, as owners, and passionate animal welfare supporters, the 7:30 report episode left us in an initial state of shock and disbelief of how low certain elements of the human race could go to, with acts of cruelty that one could only describe as criminal.

Secondly, it was a defining moment that made us realise we could no longer take comfort in our small world of racing, surrounded and protected by fellow owners, syndicators and trainers, whose compassion and care for horses, equalled that of ours. The only positive is that with the release of this program and the following justifiable public outcry, the terrible suffering these innocent horses would have endured shall not be in vain.

Key initiatives include:

A State or National Racing Body reserve of $800 to be imposed for every single horse across either code that is placed in any sales (live or online), be it weanling, yearling, two-year-old ready to race, tried race horse, brood mare. In the instance that sale includes a foal at foot, that reserve then increases to $1600 allowing for the foal as an individual horse.

If a horse cannot meet that reserve, the respective breeder/owner who has placed the horse for sale should be made aware and given options to surrender the horse to an industry recognised re-homing organization. This requires discussion with horse sales and auction groups to gain full support and best ways to implement same.

A National and All State Registration/data base implemented with the support of all State Governments, so as each and every retired horse can be traced through any transfers of ownership or residence, throughout Australia for the entirety of its natural life.

If a horse is retired from racing, a transfer of full ownership needs to apply and any new owner is recorded as custodian of that horse on above noted data base. This needs to be maintained by governments as dog registrations are currently maintained by respective councils. Perhaps even more vigorously.

Some will say that the above is a costly exercise.

Strangely, a lot of those folk would also be prepared to spend even greater sums of money on "extras" for a horse in training, if they believed it would result in improved performance.

Racing a horse in the third millenium is costly, but syndication will lighten the individual load. It will also lighten the load in retirement.

The good feeling which comes from the knowledge that your mate is being looked after, is not divided. It is multiplied by the number of syndicate members.

Handy tips

SELECTIONS for Albion Park tonight.

R1: Box trifecta 1-5-8: Dolly Mach Lombo (J Elkins)-Senora Rapido (L McCarthy)-Just A Bettor Torque (P McMullen).

R2: Box trifecta 1-2-3-6: Kid Montana (C Shepherdson)-Makoa (P Diebert)-Newmerella Sharkie (T Dawson)-Chapter One (G Dixon).

R3: Box trifecta 1-2-3-5: Our Little Digger (K Rasmussen)-Dream To Share (A Sanderson)-Hez Razor Sharp (T Lethaby)-Beau Chisholm (R McGuire).

R4: Quinella 3-10: Major General Jujon (G Dixon) and Royal Lincoln (J Wallace).

R5: box trifecta 1-7-11: Lincoln Road (H Barnes)-Mattgregor (P McMullen)-Fame assured (G Dixon).

R6: Quinella 3-5: Ruato Bay (L Manzelmann) and Living Grand (H Barnes).

R7: Box trifecta 1-2-3-7: the Bus (K Rasmussen)-Secret Jack (N Dawson)-Watch Pulp Fiction (C Turpin)-Glenferrie Hood (P McMullen).

R8: Box trifecta 5-9-11: Gee Up Neddy (H Barnes)-Justabitnoisy (D Lee)-Southern Alps (P Diebert).

R9: Quinella 1-3: Charming Major (B Barnes) and Tin Roof Raider (P McMullen).

R10: box trifecta 3-4-5: My Secret Torque (C Turpin)-Victree Mikayla (P Diebert)-Island Summer (L Mccarthy).

Honour board

Albion Park, October 18: Dolly Mach Lombo (Nathan Dawson for Jay Edmunds); Mark Of Integrity (Adam Richardson for Ian Gurney); My Wing- man (Ricky Gordon); Kwasii (Trent Dawson); Torque Fels Good (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin); Raging Inferno (Narissa McMullen); Wattlebank Flyer (Taleah McMullen for Ryan Veivers).

Albion Park, October 19: Majestic Kiwi (Matt Elkins for Trevor Lambourn); Clarry (Taleah McMullen for Steve Cini); Tin Roof Raider (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin); Wee Jimmy (Nathan Dawson for Mark Rees).

Albion Park, October 22: Wheres The Spirit (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin); Als Law (Pete McMullen for Richard Hutchinson); Whata Reactor (Matt Elkins for Warren Hinze); Good Boy Oliver (Clint Sneddon for Matt Wright).

Redcliffe, October 23: Rowdys Ace (Taleah McMullen for John McMullen); Riverleigh Jeff (Justin Elkins for Tess Neaves); Give Me Fifty (Adam Richardson for Dan Russell); Moonlight Butcher (Adam Richardson for Dan Russell); Myrtle Beach (John Ballin).

Redcliffe, October 24: Grinydontcha (Zac Chappenden for Kay Crone); Montana Nights (Hayden Barnes for Alistair Barnes); Cobalt Blues (Jacob Wallace for Stephanie Graham); Miss Keedha (Narissa McMullen for Ron Sallis); Chinook Winds (Ricky Gordon); Unassuming Champ (Chloe Butler for Mitchell Dawson).

Originally published as Feast of top racing and family fun at Marburg