RACES GO GREEN: Ararat racegoers are encouraged to dress in a touch of green for this weekend’s Ararat Turf Club St Patrick’s Day race meeting. Meg Harrington is pictured making an early start looking for a winner at NMIT Ararat Park. Picture: PETER PICKERING
ARARAT - The Ararat Turf Club is inviting everyone to grab some green and head along and enjoy St Patrick's day at NMIT Ararat Park this Sunday.
The club has swapped a meeting with the Horsham Turf Club, which is currently short on water to irrigate its track.
Horsham will now run Ararat's scheduled meeting on Monday, May 13.
This Sunday will see all full paying adults receive a free green beer as part of St Patrick's day celebrations.
Entry is $8 for adults, concession $5 and children 17 and under get in for free.
Patrons are encouraged to wear a touch of green and dress in your finest to enter Country Racing Victoria's best dressed race goer competition on course.
It is expected to be an action packed race meeting, with seven full fields.
Ararat Turf Club manager Adam Atchison has made his selctions for the meeting:
Top female hoop Linda Meech could get off to a flying start with two likely chances in the opening two races.
Meech teams with leading thoroughbred trainer Peter Moody in race one aboard Neil's Party.
The three-year-old gelding has shown promise in his first two starts and is one of the top chances to break through for a maiden victory.
In the second race of the day, the $15,000 Ararat Bakery Maiden Plate, Meech will pilot Moon Light Cristi in its first start for Stawell trainers Terry and Karina O'Sullivan.
Darren Weir looks primed to quinella the third race of the day with Champagne Espirit ahead of stable mate Sutanco. John Sadler's Lost in Paradise is another top chance.
Race four looks a close field with Bill and Symon Wilde's Decoupez, Jarrod McLean's Rankin and the Dean Yendall ridden Princess Madeline among the fancies.
It is tough to split the two Stawell horses in race five, with last start winner Spanish Vixen (Paul Jones) just ahead of David Noonan's Sun Display.
Local horse Northern Gem may salute for Jeff Rogers in race six, while Bel Shandy and The Lynx could also feature in the placings.
The final race of the day is hard to split between the Moody and Weir horses.
The Lohnro gelding, Arsenal Power (Moody), may just have the edge.
