Woodville Races go ahead at level 2, minus the crowds

Race Four The Marion Hickey's 80th was a close contest.

It was certainly a different experience at the Woodville Races on Thursday, September 9 with the crowd not able to attend due to Covid alert level 2 restrictions. Spokesperson for the Pahiatua and Woodville Racing Club said the numbers restricted to 50 indoors was a problem and catering restrictions meant it was also a challenge.

The race meeting went ahead because the owners of horses wanted racing and the TAB was operating. There was a slight delay of 30 minutes to the day due to the late arrival of the vets due to a glitch in organisation. The course was judged a heavy 11 to start but blustery winds dried it out as the day progressed.

Hallelujah Brother wins the Neil Connors Racing Maiden 1400 from Gamestar and My Sally.

Racing started well however with Town Belt winning Race One, The Shane Brown Racing Maiden 1200m and World Tour beating Pull No Punches by three lengths in the Merrylees Hotel 1200m causing quite an upset and paying $17 for a win.

With all facilities closed those allowed to attend found the half-hour between races passed slowly but the informative commentary made the races well worth waiting for, an average of 8-10 in the field making them good contests.

Between Race Three and Four the limited crowd was treated to a two horse Exhibition 1000m featuring a seven-time winner Sharkey and Pep Torque which had won a big race two weeks before and was trialling in an open handicap race next week at Hastings.

Most interest came in Race Four The Marion Hickey's 80th – a 1400m race featuring Bellissimo which won race one at the previous meeting and the Woodville-Pahiatua Cup earlier in the season.

Its owner and trainer Brian Marriott – the oldest in the country - was there with his Opaki Racing Club mate and rival Ian Wyatt who also had a top horse Old Town Road in the race.

Going in as favourites these two finished fourth (Old Town Road) and sixth (Bellissimo), Brian saying the course had dried out too much for his mud-lark to enjoy.

"That's racing," he said, "it's always good to get out especially after lockdown."

The next racing at Woodville is Friday, October 22 at Labour weekend hopefully under freer conditions.