Indigenous driving stars ready for battle

25 October 2016 | Michael Court
Jess Prior

Jess Prior Photo by Brett Atkins

UNPRECEDENTED interest has seen this Sunday’s J.C. Caffyn Indigenous Drivers Plate draw the best field in the six years this race has featured on the annual Fishers Ghost program at Menangle.
Three accomplished Indigenous drivers, Bevan Pringle, Jack Wade and Danny Scanlan will be having their first drives in this prestigious event, which this year actually saw several drivers balloted out of the race.
Heats were run at Newcastle, Wagga and Parkes before drivers were chosen on a points-score basis following their participation in the five “prelude” races.
Still the quality of the field for this event shows that trainers are willing to support the Indigenous Drivers’  concept with three last-start Menangle winners among the field that will line up on Sunday for a race that this year has also been boosted to $15,000 in prizemoney.
My Whiskey Lullaby (to be driven by Ricky Potts), Rave Moonraker (Royce-Gregory-Jack) and Gina Grace (Andrew Lincoln) are all recent Menangle Saturday night winners while defending champion Jess Prior (pictured right) will handle another last-start winner in Heza Swinger from the in-form KerryAnn Turner stable.
Gregory-Jack is a two-time winner of this event while other previous winners Bruce O’Brien (2011) and Danny Gibson (2014) covered many kilometres to ensure they qualified to be there again this year while Menangle reinsman Jimmy Brown resumes his quest to get his name added to the Plate named after one his heroes, the late great Jimmy Caffyn senior, a prolific winner at the old Menangle circuit. 
Another boost for the Indigenous Drivers Plate is that this year’s Fishers Ghost Family Fun Day meeting has also been elevated to a metropolitan-status meeting.
That should ensure champagne harness racing with an excellent free-for-all field boasting the likes of Monifieth, Lombo Kotakinabalu, Tact Tate, Ultimate Art, Blazin N Cullen and Iam Mr Brightside adding further fuel to a powerful nine-race Sunday afternoon card.
To cap off the meeting the $32,400 Group Two Jill McGrath Franco Australian Trotters Final will see a field of 14 of the best trotters in the state do battle over the marathon 3009m journey with smart trotter On Thunder Road expected to start favourite, despite his 30-metre handicap.
There’s plenty of ‘off-track’ attractions as well on Sunday with a smoking ceremony, dancers, singers and a ‘welcome to country’ all part of the day’s activities. 

INDIGENOUS DRIVERS’ 
J.C. CAFFYN PLATE
HONOUR ROLL

2011      Bruce O’Brien
2012      Royce Gregory-Jack
2013      Royce Gregory-Jack
2014      Danny Gibson
2015      Jess Prior

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION TELEPHONE CLUB MENANGLE RACING MANAGER DAVID WONSON ON (02) 4645-2200.

 

Related News

28 March 2024
New HRV chair Adam Kilgour on challenges, opportunities
Newly appointed Harness Racing Victoria chair Adam Kilgour says his passion for a challenge and the people in racing drives his desire to strengthen the industry. Kilgour was yesterday announced to replace Dale Monteith as the head of the board, on which he has served since 2018, and said he was eager...
28 March 2024
La sun of a gun emerges as Blackbook zeros in on breeding line
La Machane won 20 of her 61 starts and more than $330,000 for connections in Ross and Greg Sugars' care and the mare's making just as big an impression in the breeding barn. Having given us La Puddie ($137,179) and La Captain ($182,020), the Bettors Delight mare has another nice type in Benbullan, who...
28 March 2024
Jack ready to show off the next generation of stars at Bathurst
Nathan Jack has his next generation of stars ready to lead a northern assault on Bathurst's two-year-old Group 1s Saturday night, eager to emulate the stable's 2023 success.
28 March 2024
Steve Cleave's Little Black Book $200 game plans for Melton
Steve Cleave has looked through his Little Black Book to produce a $200 game plan for Easter Saturday night at Melton Entertainment Park.
28 March 2024
Jase and Snooze join Ryan for Burning Questions
Chris Svanosio and Jason Lee join Ryan Phelan to look ahead to a fantastic night of Easter Saturday racing from Melton Entertainment Park.
Click for more