THE wait is finally over for the Ouyen Harness Racing Club as harness racing returns to the town with the running of the $25,000 Greggs Electrical Ouyen Pacing Cup tomorrow.
The return of harness racing at Ouyen is due to the commitment of the Victorian Coalition Government to reopen the track following its closure under the Labor Government in 2005.
Minister for Racing Dr Denis Napthine and Member for Mildura, Peter Crisp are both looking forward to attending the cup meeting at Ouyen tomorrow.
“The Ouyen Harness Racing Club and supporters fought hard for racing to return to Ouyen and tomorrow will see the culmination of this very hard work,” Dr Napthine said.
“It is fantastic to see the Coalition Government’s $79.5 million from the Victorian Racing Industry Fund make an impact on not only grass-roots clubs and country racing, but also the social and economic fabric of local communities.”
There is plenty of excitement among the harness racing fraternity in the northern region with tomorrow’s return to racing at Blackburn Park and a big crowd is anticipated to witness a handy line-up contest the 2012 Ouyen Pacing Cup.
South Australia’s best pacer, Ohoka Nevada, is the sole handicap runner in the cup as he is the class pacer in the race which has him beginning with a 20-metre handicap – not an easy assignment around the 769-metre circuit.
Ohoka Nevada is aiming for his sixth cup win after impressive cup victories at Kilmore, Cranbourne, Port Pirie, Albury and last year’s Park Douglas Printing Mildura Pacing Cup.
The seven-year-old has a terrific record of 33 wins from 70 outings and he has been a top acquisition for the Jonathon Kingston-Mayne stable at Angle Vale as since he transferred to the South Australian trainer in October 2010 he has achieved 21 wins from 26 outings.
Ohoka Nevada is primed to record his second Country Cup in the northern region following his second placing behind Australia’s best pacer Smoken Up in last Saturday night’s $100,000 South Australian Cup when he battled on strongly after the last half mile was run in a sizzling 55.7 seconds.
The son of Sands A Flyin will be driven by his regular reinsman Mark Billinger, who has formed a terrific association with the classy pacer who has an impressive record in standing start races.
He has won 50 percent of his 19 starts so his top manners from the tapes is sure to assist him to overcome his 20-metre handicap.
Ballarat pacer Devilish Smile is the youngster of the cup field at four years of age and leading Australian reinsman Daryl Douglas has given punters an early guide in the race as he has elected to drive him in preference to the improving Jukebox Music and last year’s Ouyen Pacing Cup winner Our Hillview Gold as both pacers are trained by his brother Glenn.
The well-bred Devilish Smile was sent for a spell after winning the consolation of the 3YO Australasian Breeders Crown in August and he has returned to racing this season with an easy win at Terang and a close up third in last Sunday’s Hamilton Pacing Cup behind Lets Slash An Burn.
Trainer Peter Tonkin and the owners of Devilish Smile in Russell and Pam Hockham have enjoyed Country Cup success in the northern region in the past and they can achieve another feature race win at Ouyen tomorrow.
The first of eight races on the program will start at 5.14pm, while the cup is race seven to be run at 7.55pm.
This article appeared in Saturday's Sunraysia Daily 21-1-2012.
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