2017 Noel Smith Memorial Invitation Drivers Championship competitors.
Trots participants will be lauded for all their hard yakka on Monday’s Labour Day celebration at Horsham, with 10 of Australasia’s finest drivers to do battle on the Industry Participants Recognition Raceday.
The 27th Decron Horse Care – Noel Smith Memorial Invitation Drivers Championship will see the best drivers weave their magic with the reins in a four-race contest, with the leading points scorer joining the club’s elite honour roll.
Victorians Anthony Butt, Gavin Lang, Greg Sugars, Kate Gath, Kerryn Manning and Chris Alford will fly the local flag amid talented visitors Ricky Duggan (Tasmania), Blair Orange (New Zealand), Todd McCarthy (New South Wales) and Shane Graham (Queensland) in the race day feature.
Duggan carries the title of reigning champion and returns to defend his 2016 crown having enjoyed a great 2015/16 season in the Apple Isle, where he finished second to Mark Yole on the state tally with a 21 per cent winning strike rate.
Honorary ‘Big V’ driver Butt will compete in Horsham’s driver series for the first time after finishing fourth in the 2015-16 Metropolitan Drivers Premiership. The highly decorated Kiwi horseman started driving in 1983 and quickly made his mark as the NZ Junior Champion in both 1985 and 1988.
Butt is just one of nine drivers inducted into the Inter Dominion Hall of Fame and is a four-time Inter Dominion championship winning driver with Lyell Creek (2000), Take A Moment (2001 and 2003) and Mr Feelgood in 2009.
His mighty tally of 49 Grand Circuit driving victories is miles ahead of the rest, with Mark Purdon second on 27. He is also edging towards his 2000th career winner (1609 NZ, 381 Australia).
Leading Kiwi reinsman Orange and New South Wales premier driver last season McCarthy are also headed to Horsham for the first time.
Orange started driving in 1996 and by 1999 was New Zealand Champion Junior Driver. He’s driven more than 100 winners in 2014, ’15 and ’16 and been three times runner-up for leading driver behind Dexter Dunn. He’s already passed the century mark this season.
While the invitees may hold the spotlight, the meeting also recognises the contribution made by all industry participants with prizes galore in products, goods, services and merchandise to be distributed to trainers, drivers and owners during the afternoon.
Among those to throw their support behind the meeting to ensure everyone’s a winner are Decron Horse Care, Carbine Chemicals, Finn Tack, Pryde’s Easifeed, Bertocchi Smallgoods, Cordina Farms, Flair Equine Nasal Strips, Oringi Protection Wear, Hyland Racing Colours, Fly Veils By Design, Harness Breeders Victoria, Grafx Inc, Western District Horse Transport, Mustad Australia and Roma Pocock.
Trainers, drivers, stablehands, owners and breeders will enjoy a designated hospitality area sponsored by the Victorian Trainers and Drivers Association.
The club will throw the gates open at 1pm with free entry for all to encourage families to pack their picnic basket, Esky, blanket and chair and lounge on the lawns to enjoy a great day’s racing.
Racegoers and participants also have the chance to win a short break courtesy of View Hotels St Kilda Rd, Raglan Motor Inn Warrnambool, Tabcorp Park Choice Hotels Melton and Deluxe Riverspa Moama.
