Locals on the pace in Anzac Day harness racing | Photos

The meeting was well supported by family and friends of those honoured in the day’s series of memorial races: Pud Woods, Clarrie and Val Robb, Neville Pellow and Les Findlay.

The Les Findlay Memorial was established this year and sponsored by Forbes RSL sub branch.

Racing got underway with the Pud Woods Memorial, heat 1 of the $12,000 Forbes Services Memorial club final to be held on Sunday, May 8 (TAB meeting).

In the betting ring it looked like a two-horse race and it panned out that way on the track.

Playful Fella, driven by Toby Vautin, made his intentions clear early by holding out $1.50 favourite to Tuapeka Glory driven by Emma Turnbull, only to surrender the lead after a blistering early section.

Turnbull continued to set the pace until 300m from home when Vautin eased off the fence and a fierce duel ensued over the final part.

There was only a half head separating the two on the line and a very fast mile rate of 1.58.5 set the scene for the day.

The local entries Digger Shed and Sure Whatever both found the pace too hot and finished well back

Race 2 was the Clarrie and Val Robb Memorial and the sentimental favourite was Parzival driven by their grandson Matt Robb. Unfortunately, he got off to a bad start.

After The Ball, driven by Angela Hedges for local trainer Adam Bellach, showed her hand early with a blistering start from barrier six.

That was the last the field saw of her, she was a commanding 30-metre winner with another fast mile-rate of 1.58.6.

After The Ball was a first start for Bellach, recently purchased from leading Queensland trainer Grant Dixon, for his loyal stable owners the Dunn family.

The way the three-year-old filly won indicates there could be more wins in store.

The first three horses to chase her home were locals Better Road (Brayden Sullivan), Not My Sister (Murray Sullivan) and Parzival (Matt Robb).

Race 3 was the Les Findlay Memorial and heat 2 of the Services Club Pace.

It was another win to Toby Vautin, this time with Early Decision, who was given a lovely run in transit by Vautin.

He got in a good position from the back row to be one-out, one -back and made his move 300m from home to score a decisive victory in 1.59.4 mile-rate.

Race 3, the Diggers Cup, proved to be one of the most enthralling races seen at Forbes paceway for a long time.

Jason Gaffney produced an outstanding drive - spotting an opportunity to duck down to the rails to follow eventual runner-up Kyalla Stuart and give Give Me Fifty the opportunity to run him down in the shadows of the post.

The race was on in earnest from the start when Monique Parsons defied all challengers, only to hand up to stablemate Hurry Sound.

Hurry Sound continued to set a very fast pace only to drift off the pegs, enabling stablemate Kyalla Stuart to assume the lead until Gaffney weaved his magic to grab the other horse on the line.

The stewards have opened an enquiry into the run that Kyalla Stuart received and this is ongoing. 

Give Me Fifty was very well supported in the betting ring, firming from $6 in to $2, and this led to the large roar from happy punters when his number went up.

The gelding set a track record for 1680m (the mile) 1.57.2.

Give Me Fifty is a recent addition to the Gaffney stables, bought by a syndicate of locals headed by Geoff Parry, A Hodges, L Payne, A and H Harris and L Fering.

He has given them instant success, winning four races in a row including a heat and final at Narrabri. 

Race 5 was the Neville Pellow Memorial, sponsored by BWR Accountants and McGroders, and heat 3 of the Services Memorial Club pace set for Mother’s Day.

Monique Parsons made up for her close second in the Cup when she steered Equity Chip to a decisive win. 

She found the lead early and rated the nine-year-old gelding well in front before opening up a winning break 200m from home.

The runner-up Perfectdistraction for Angela Hedges and local trainer Adam Bellach had trouble obtaining a clear run until the race was well and truly over but finished powerfully for second placing.

Anzac Day racing wrapped up with the Forbes RSL sub branch-sponsored heat for the Dubbo Golden Gig, the final of which will be conducted tonight.

Heats have been held at recent western district venues.

Once again, it was Angela Hedges on the Adam Bellach trained Casino Lass who took the initiative and went forward from barrier six and after working hard outside Always Cheeky (Braden Sullivan) she found a lead after 400m and continued to run the field along 

She loooked to be under immense pressure at the turn when challenged by Cherry Express (Garth Hoy) and Gubbata (Robert Anderson) but dug deep to hold on for a good win in another quick mile rate of 1.58.4.

Perfectdistraction and Casino Lass head to Dubbo tonight to contest the final of the Golden Gig, with Hedges declaring that she will take the reins behind Perfectdistraction.

The Adam Bellach stable will also be represented on the night by Rocknroll Angel and impressive Forbes winner After The Ball in the Peter Lew Memorial as connections hope to continue their winning run.

The main race on the program is the final of the Red Ochre Filly’s Classic and favourite for the race is Bon Accord Gal, trained locally by Phil Thurston and to be driven by Brad Hewitt.

Bon Accord Gal scored a strong win in the heats as a short-priced favourite to bring up her 10th win out of 20 starts and could give Thurston back-to-back Classics after his mare Freedom Is scored last year, also driven by Hewitt.

The Gaffney / Sullivan stable will also be represented on the night by Montana Maestro.