Stony Creek Racing Club was back in action, starting the New Year with an eight-race card for the Pink Roses Day meet.
The track was graded a Good 4 at the beginning of the day, but was upgraded to a Good 3 prior to the opening race.
Ten local horses were spread out across six of the eight races, although none were winners, a few came close.
The Race 1 Action Pumps & Irrigation Maiden Plate over 2100 metres, was taken out by Nightsun for Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock.
Sale’s Troy and John Kilgower raced Redskin Jimmy, a five-year-old gelding now with 23 starts. Despite another placing, he is still without a win.
Redskin Jimmy had the best jump of them all and led the pack on their first trip around the main straight.
In a valiant effort, Redskin Jimmy led practically from start to finish, but was run over the top of in the final 100m, by Nightsun, who came from fifth to take the first victory of his career.
Surely a maiden win is just around the corner for Redskin Jimmy, who has presented good form as of late – five top-four finishes in the last five starts.
Race 2’s Pink Roses Maiden Plate (1000m) had no local runners, and was expertly won by Rock Melody for Pakenham’s Ricardo Meunier.
In just the four-year-old mare’s seventh start of her career, Rock Melody now has a tick in the win column, now five placings from those seven starts.
Priced at $18 prior to the race, Rock Melody led the sprint from start to finish, holding off a fast finishing short-priced favourite – Star Magic to the line.
Trailer Park Girl ran for Sale’s Angela Bence in the Race 3 Ladbrokes Market Control F&M Maiden Plate (1100m).
Unfortunately for Bence, Trailer Park Girl had a shocking run, finishing last of the nine starters.
The race was eventually won by Oreo Twist by around half a length, for Mornington’s Matt Laurie.
Oreo Twist ran off-pace for much of the race, before coming alive to pinch the lead at the final hurdle to claim her first win from three starts.
The Race 4 South Gippsland Sentinel Times Maiden Plate (1600m) was comfortably won by Makbeel for Dean Krongold.
A brilliant run from Makbeel saw him clean up the field at the 600m.
He stretched out to a five-length lead, for the first victory of his short career.
Redoubt Road for Sale’s Adam Hanley ran last for majority of the race, until the 600m, when she fortunately climbed the order to finish fifth.
The favourite – Miss Vaughn – was trapped as horses fell in her lap as they rounded the final corner, before finishing sixth.
Race 5s Meeniyan Hotel BM58 Handicap (2100m) was ran in similar fashion to race six, with Sarnia for Reece Goodwin, winning by close to four lengths.
There were three local runners in the fifth race, one of which earnt a place-finish.
Sarnia miraculously led the entire race, although close with Dodgy One at the final turn, she blasted out to a three-and-a-half length lead.
The Bounty for Sale’s Colin Butcher had a consistent race, keeping up with the pace-makers. He was beaten to a third-place finish by another local – Sassoon, for Sale’s Rebecca Kelly.
The veteran Sassoon finished strongly to pinch third from The Bounty by a nose.
Redgum Rosie for the Kilgower’s of Sale had a great start, seeing she was priced at $51.
She gassed out toward the 600m, falling into the clutches of the midfield, before finishing seventh.
The Race 6 Meeniyan IGA Plus Liquor 0-64 Handicap BM58 (1100m) was the final race of the meet with no local talent.
Just like the two previous races, it was another one-horse race.
Bifrost for Emma-Lee and David Browne cleaned up by three-and-a-half lengths.
Bifrost sat comfortably in the midfield for the sprint, before making a charge around the bend and taking the lead inside the 200m.
He claimed his third win from 13 starts, and his first since May, 2022 at Hillside.
Race 7s Fish Creek Hotel BM58 Handicap (1000m), was won by Mir for Nick Ryan, close behind in second was Delivery Man for Kelly of Sale.
The favourite, Mir, had a slow start, but made ground in the sprint, before kicking ahead of the leaders on the straight.
Paying $26 before the race, Delivery Man did well to hold onto second, edging the likes of Bazinga Bazinga and Pretty Panda.
With just one race remaining, still three local horses were due to run in the Race 8 Brandt Leongatha BM58 Handicap (1700m).
It was an unfortunate ending however, as none were able to make good progress in the pack.
Jakk’s Fortune for Sale’s Hanley ran at the rear of the midfield for most of the race, before falling further to second-last.
The Kilgower’s Manhattan Sting treaded steadily for the entire race, staying within the midfield, completing the 1700m in sixth, over seven lengths from the leader.
The best of the locals in race eight was Little Brother for Darryl Blackshaw of Moe.
Little Brother made a late charge in the final race, coming from ninth at the 400m mark, to run into fourth by the line, pipping fifth-place Cleitus by a nose.
But the race was comfortably won by four-year-old mare Tiara Jewel, who led at the important stages, including the finish by over two-and-a-half lengths.
In her short 14-race career, it is just her second victory and fourth placing, as she hopes to regain form once again.
