Emma Gaffney once again serves as secretary with Jocelyn Stewart taking over the treasurer’s job from Melissa Sullivan who stood down due to work commitments.

Braden did thank all the volunteers who helped during the 2017 season, with special mention to Jenny Sullivan and Bruce Edgerton for taking over the canteen.

He also thanked the jockey club members for once again manning the bar at the club’s two meetings this year.

The club looks forward to its 2018 race dates – Anzac Day, Wednesday April 25 and the Carnival of Cups TAB meeting on Sunday May 6.

The club welcomes a new race on the calendar, the Colin Ware Memorial, to be held on Anzac Day along with Pud Woods, Neville Pellow, Clarrie and Val Robb and Les Findlay Memorial.

On Sunday at Parkes, local trainer / drivers Jason Gaffney and Murray Sullivan made a welcome return to the winners’ circle. 

They unearthed a couple of new promising pacers in the heat. Condon, owned by the combination, brought up its first win at only its second start, in the Parkes Farm Centre three-year-old pace, starting well supported at $4.50 and second favourite. 

It ran down the favourite, Bernie Hewitt-trained Pocket Beauty, to win by a head. 

It had showed promise at its first start, with a second placing in a strong race at Young when it went out at the odds of 34-1. 

In the second race at Parkes, Eye Trouble, also trained by Jason Gaffney and driven by Murray Sullivan, brought up a win for their grandmother Rosemary Lee.

The aptly-named pacer, who is blind in one eye, registered his second win from only three starts, his first at Blayney, also a day meeting.

It’s good to see the local combination back in the winners’ circle leading into the big month of pacing in January over the Elvis festival. Forbes will be well represented in Parkes, with Adam Bellach, Jeff Brown and Terry Hush also having pacers that will be competitive at this time.

The club wishes a merry Christmas and happy new year to all harness racing followers in the area.