WANGARATTA horseman Andrew Dale says it is a great honour to become the first trainer from outside the region to claim the Southern District Racing Association (SDRA) premiership.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Dale and Albury's Mitch Beer finished tied on 36 wins to share the SDRA trainer's premiership.
Dale, who moved to a brand new stable complex at Wangaratta from Albury in 2019, was thrilled to land the title.
"It would have been good to be able to win it outright but Mitch had a great year too so I was really pleased to tie with him," Dale said.
"It's recognition of all the staff's hard work over the year and predominantly that's where we train a lot of our winners and we've always been like that so nothing will change for us in the future moving forward.
"We really enjoy those smaller country cup meetings. We look forward to them. Racing can be pretty arduous and pretty taxing so to go out to those places and you have a good day, it puts it all into perspective a bit."
It was Beer's third consecutive SDRA premiership after moving to Albury in 2018.
While happy to share the premiership, Beer was proud of the fact his stable banked $1.4 million in prizemoney for the season.
"I'm beyond proud of the whole team for the season gone, it's been full of laughs, tears, highs and lows but we've netted 41 winners and more than $1.4 million in prizemoney," Beer said.
"We've got some big things planned for the next 12 months as we continue to build for better."
SDRA premierships
TRAINERS
36 - Mitch Beer, Andrew Dale
26 - Craig Weeding
19 - Donna Scott
18 - Ben Brisbourne
JOCKEYS
30 - Danny Beasley, Billy Owen
29 - Molly Bourke (a)
27 - Fiona Sandkuhl (a)
22 - Josh Richards
...
LONG-time Wagga jockey Mick Travers has not renewed his riding licence this season as he begins to concentrate solely on his training career.
Travers has ridden 985 winners over a 25-year career in the saddle but he has decided it is time to venture further into training.
Travers became the first jockey in NSW to take out a dual licence and will now ramp up his training business.
"Honestly, it comes down to restrictions of licence. I just wanted to lift the restrictions on the training licence," Travers said.
"And to be honest, I've had a fair few concussions and I'm a bit wary."
Travers had been restricted to having eight horses in work but got permission to raise it to 10.
"I was just starting to encroach on that 10 and I'm now up to 14," he said.
"Unfortunately with the restricted licence, I had to knock back a lot and now I've got to hope those opportunities come back my way.
"It was disappointing having to knock back opportunities over the last 12 months and it got to a head where the injuries piled up, the concussions piled up and I couldn't convince myself to come back this time."
Travers has 24 boxes at the Mullins' Moorong St stables so he has the capability to build his numbers.
He trained 10 winners in the past season and hopes to build on that number going forward.
"We've had a good run. We've got a few nice horses coming through so we should be pretty busy in the next few months," he said.
...
THE latest exciting initiative from Racing NSW will provide a boost to country racing.
Racing NSW have announced the introductions of super maidens that will be run weekly across metropolitan, provincial and country levels.
A country super maiden will be run at one country TAB meeting each week, as well as all showcase meetings, and will be worth $50,000.
A $100,000 metropolitan super maiden will be run at the midweek city meeting, while there will be two $60,000 provincial super maidens held each week.
The super maidens will be introduced from September 1.
...
TALENTED Albury sprinter Our Last Cash will kick off his campaign at Flemington on Saturday.
Craig Williams has been booked to ride Our Last Cash in the $80,000 Benchmark 70 Handicap (1100m) down the Flemington straight.
Our Last Cash highlighted his ability last campaign with a seven-length romp at Wagga, which he backed up with a second placing in the SDRA Country Championships Qualifier (1400m). He then went on to run fifth in the final.
Trainer Donna Scott hopes Our Last Cash can put himself in the Kosciuszko conversation this preparation.
...
PROMISING Wagga galloper Burrandana will step out beyond 1500 metres for the first time at Rosehill on Saturday.
Burrandana has ran second at his past two Highways and will be looking to go one better this week's edition over 1800m.
Jason Collett is again in the saddle and the Peter Morgan-trained galloper is drawn nicely in barrier three.
The David Blundell-trained Shafty is having his third consecutive crack at a Highway and he'll be better suited up to 1800m.
Kathy O'Hara retains the ride.
...
WAGGA trainer Maddy Collins is targeting another country cup with The Doctor's Son.
Collins has nominated The Doctor's Son for Sunday's $50,000 Forbes Cup (1600m), which offers eligibility to The Big Dance.
The Doctor's Son finished four lengths behind Prince Of Helena in the Narrandera Cup last start.
...
AUSTRALIAN's leading rider for the 2022-23 season has a Southern District Racing Association (SDRA) link.
Aaron Bullock was rewarded for a remarkable season with the Australian jockey's premiership this week.
Bullock, who is originally from Tumut, rode 207.5 winners for the year to clinch the title after a gripping duel with Queenslander James Orman (201).
...
LOCAL riding products Billy Owen and Nick Heywood both tasted metropolitan success at Randwick last Saturday.
It was a big week for Owen, who guided the Tash Burleigh-trained Iron Will to victory in the $120,000 Highway Handicap (1200m).
Nick Heywood continued his winning association with Goulburn speedster Mogo Magic, as he took out the $150,000 Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).
Mogo Magic is now five from five for trainer Scott Collings and well in calculations for the $2 million Kosciuszko.
...
WAGGA Town Plate-winning jockey Winona Costin is making a move.
Costin has based herself from Randwick in recent years but is making the move to Melbourne.
She still plans to travel and ride at meetings like Albury and Wagga.
Costin has been out for three months after facial surgery but plans to be back riding from August 17.
...
WHAT'S ON
GALLOPS
Tuesday: Gundagai (TAB)
TROTS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
Tuesday: Albury (TAB)
DOGS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
Monday: Wagga (TAB)
Wednesday: Temora (TAB)
