Sport
25 October, 2024
Redwood’s grand return
Big-name drivers, Australia’s most talented trotters and a packed on and off-track schedule arrives from this afternoon when the Redwood Carnival begins, culminating in the Victorian Trotters Derby, Redwood Classic and Gold Trotters Cup on Sunday.
The Redwood Carnival returns today, with this afternoon’s race meeting and Sunday promising to be two big days of action throughout.
The best of the best of the harness racing world are ready to converge on Maryborough, starting with today’s Redwood Remembrance meeting.
Many of the top drivers in the country, including previous Redwood and Victorian Derby winners such as Greg Sugars, Kerryn Manning, Chris Alford and Lexton local James Herbertson — himself fresh off a race meeting at Yarra Valley where he drove six of a possible seven winners — are ready to seek more glory.
In further exciting news for the Maryborough Harness Racing Club, Sunday’s Haras Des Trotteurs Victorian Trotters Derby final has also attracted one of Australia’s most promising trotters.
Keayang Zahara has taken all before her in her 10 races so far, winning each of them, and is a heavy favourite to take the Victorian Trotters Derby final, having cruised around in her heat to win by five metres on Sunday.
The filly will start on the inside of the second row, meaning it will have some work to do to get to the front.
However, Valtino, driven by Sugars, will be around the mark, as will second heat winner Pinnie, driven by Kate Gath.
The Redwood Classic, Sunday’s eighth race of the day, also has a raging favourite, with Gatesys Gem, driven by 2022 Trotters Derby winner Nathan Jack, considered the favourite after winning four of its last five races coming in.
However, it will face fierce competition from the likes of Vytis, who will be hoping to break through for a win after four consecutive second placings, driven by Emmett Brosnan, while Commodus, driven by Alford, and Enchauffour, who Sugars will be hoping delivers a third consecutive Redwood success and a fourth in five years, are also set to be high-profile chances to take the race as well.
The Community Bank Maryborough Gold Trotters Cup also returns as Sunday’s fifth race, with Just Believe, piloted by Sugars, looking for a fifth consecutive win after a spell.
Sunday will be a historic day, with the Redwood Classic returning to a group one race, which came as the result of repurposing money from the September pacing cup to both of the Redwood Carnival’s key races.
Today’s race meeting will see legends of the past honoured through the Redwood Remembrance meeting, with multiple recognisable names around harness racing making up the names of the nine races throughout the afternoon.
Friday’s action will then be followed by a fun trivia night at the club as they celebrate the renovation of their function rooms, while Saturday’s traditional dinner dance is sure to bring along a sold-out crowd.