Above: Mark Zahra urges race four winner Shutupandshuffle to the line.By Stuart Teather
JOCKEYS and supporters alike braved heavy rain and thunderstorms to turn out to the race meet at the Cranbourne Turf Club on Sunday.
Craig Newitt took out the feature race of the day, the 1200m Golden Daily Double Handicap, on Mick Price-trained Rightfully Yours.
Newitt took out the $35,000 race half a length ahead of Peter Mertens-ridden Bingham, with Ghost Party a distant third.
Club chief executive Neil Bainbridge said Rightfully Yours had a big future to look forward to.
“It’s going to be a player in some of the big races in spring,” he said.
Bainbridge said the meet proved to be a successful one for the local trainers.
“The local trainers had a field day — I think they won five or six of the eight races.”
The club launched a new competition, the Gold Cap Challenge, which sees the jockey leading the premiership wear a golden cap throughout the season, with the eventual winner receiving a $5,000 trip to the Railway Stakes in Perth.
Bainbridge said the idea of the challenge was to help promote the skill and courage of the jockeys.
The $5,000 prize is the richest Premiership prize in Victoria.
Craig Newitt leads the challenge with four wins, two ahead of Greg Childs in second.
Newitt is looking to win his third premiership in a row, after just edging out Peter Mertens at the conclusion of the 2007/08 season.
