Saturday night’s meeting at Northam was dedicated to their very own Noel Hughes, who passed away on May 5th. Hughes could be found in the tractor curating the track every meeting, with his love of harness racing running deep.
Trainer/driver Dylan Egerton-Green prepared an early double on the card, with three-year-old Hale Saint Louie NZ making it three in a row since making his way to WA from New Zealand after taking out race 1, the Committee Man Pace over the 2190m trip.
Showing plenty of promise in just his four career starts, the son of Sweet Lou USA begun well from barrier one, but after surrendering the lead soon after surrendering the lead after a few hundred metres, Egerton-Green peeled off the leaders back with an explosive burst with 500m to go, winning effortlessly by 13.9m in 1:57:1.
"Saint is lightly raced and still learning his craft, but seems to be improving every start,
"Hopefully he can work through his grades and match it with the better three-year-olds."
Linley and Chris Voak teamed up in race two to win the Condolences to Helen & Family Pace over the 2190m, with five-year-old Sir Belvedere bringing up his third career win in just 21 starts. Only lightly raced for his age, Sir Belvedere had a complicated start to life, with illness and injury often threatening to end it before it even begun, but he resumed first up on Saturday night after a spell, winning at $9.50 odds.
"I gave him a spell as he had done a great job his first real season of racing.
"His wins are pretty special for me as we raced his grand dam Orange Pip, and the little fella had a hard start to life." Said Voak.
With a large scar on his back leg, as well as bouts of Colic as a youngster, there was plenty of reasons for Voak to cut her losses and move him on, but she confirmed she is very glad she persisted with then troublesome young horse, with the double westbred gelding rewarding her with over $21,000 in stakes now, not including his first win bonus and double westbred bonus after his first win in April 2022.
Rockmyster NZ delivered Egerton-Green the second instalment of his training and driving double on the night, with the New Zealand import bringing up his fourth win in the state in just his 10 starts in WA. Leading all the way in race 3, the Thank You Noel Pace over the 2190m, the four-year-old withstood a challenge for the lead from the race favourite, Brickies Dream NZ, going on to win by 3m in 2:01:1.
"He is showing us he has ability and hopefully we see him go from strength to strength this prep." Said Egerton-Green.
Race 4 the Friend To All 4YO+ pace over the 2190m went the way to $8 shot Feeling Aces for Matt Scott and Deni Roberts. The six-year-old came off a last start second placing, and after settling four back on the pegs, Roberts and Feeling Aces made their way out wide at the top of the straight to flash home for the win by 1.3m in 2:00:9.
Bonstar took out race five on the card, the Vale Noel Hughes SS Pace over the 2560m, with the Peter Marsh trained runner coming off the front-line handicap to lead all the way for Shannon Suvaljko, winning by 2.1m in 2:06:1.
Local trainer Jane Steer took out race 6 on the card, the Rest In Peace Pace over the 2190m journey, with $1.16 favourite Ya Bettor Followme getting the win for reinsman Trent Wheeler.
Rollyourown produced an emotion filled win for Helen Miller and Hayden Charles, with the Track Curator Pace going the way of the horse owned by the track curator himself, Noel Hughes.
"I said to Helen after the race 'I've only saluted twice in my career, once was my first win at drive number two and now this one for Noel,
"It was nice to be able to put a smile on the families face in this difficult time,
"all credit to Helen for having the horse fit and ready to go."
The Trots WA sends their deepest condolences to Noel's family and friends.
