Over 40 nominations have been received for this Saturday’s Harden Picnic Races. Gates open at 11:00am. Get ready for a great day out.
The track is lush and green, the roses are in bloom with the annual Harden Picnic gearing up for what will be the 38th running of the Harden Picnic Cup in a 6 race card. Known as a great family day out, gates will be open at 11:00am with kids’ entertainment on offer, live music, food stalls and the highly popular Fashions on the Field.
President Nathan Schofield spoke to the Times this week and said, “Things are great, nominations have come in and the track is looking really good. We didn’t get much rain but we have been getting water on the track and it’s come up a treat. We hope we can get a nice big crowd. It’s a great day out.”
The Harden Race Course played host to the Harden Kite Festival on October 13 and brought over 8000 people through the gates and the Races are also hoping for a large crowd. Acceptances for horses are at 9:00am Thursday, October 25,with the track rated a Good 3. A top of 28 degrees is forecast for the day.
The Harden Picnic Races have attracted 40 runners across the 6 race card with 12 horses nominated for the Sibelco and Nathan Schofield Carpentry Cup over 1,400 metres. Both Scott Spackman and Chris Heywood have nominated horses for Harden’s showcase event.
Spackman’s Cryfowl will line up after claiming second place in the 1300 metre event at Wagga on Saturday and will likely start favourite. The 5 year old brown gelding by Street Cry went very close to taking out the Lockhart Cup on October 5, missing out by less than a 1/3 of a length. Heywood has nominated Lighthouse and Monsoon Charlie. Lighthouse is a 9 year old bay gelding by Street Cry and is relatively lightly-raced for a 9 year old with 27 starts recording 5 wins 4 second placings and 3 thirds.
He finished 4 lengths behind Cryfowl at the most recent start. Monsoon Charlie has also been nominated and if the 7 year old bay by Myboycharlie starts, it will be the first time since Louth where he came home in seventh place, 5 lengths off the winner. Black Fusion returns but under the tutelage of owner P. Waters. ‘The Fusion’ has gone close before under Spackman; however, at 9 and with 78 starts under his belt and a last start that saw him finish 20 lengths off them at Goulburn, it is unsure if he will overcome the other horses. One thing is for sure, you can’t write him off.
Coota trainer Richard Coulton has nominated Young Jackson in the 1,100 metre Trophy Handicap alongside Heywood’s Adolescent, whilst Coulton’s 1,400 metre Class B Handicap or the 1,300 metre Maiden Plate. Race 3 sees Serious Charge nominated by Heywood in the 1100 metre Class B handicap.
Robert Leitner has nominated Jument Alezane in the 1000 metre maiden Plate with the 7 year old chestnut mare placing second at Young on October 6. If you love country racing and social days out, head to the Harden Racecourse this Saturday.
