HAWKESBURY trainer Garry White was the only local to score when the Hawkesbury Race Club hosted its latest race meeting on Sunday.
Brown Thomas, a two-year-old gelding, narrowly edged out Aggarwal – trained by Matthew Smith – to claim the first victory of his career in his fifth start.
Aggarwal was the favourite in the 1300-metre maiden handicap, paying $2.45 for the win, but it was apprentice hoop Ashleigh Borg who steered White’s gelding to first place in the race.
In race five, White’s Military Academy started the race as the favourite, although was beaten by outside chance Little Red Shoes.
White’s three-year-old colt clearly had the eye of the punters, paying $2.50 for the win, but Kathy O’Hara and Jason Coyle had other ideas and won the benchmark 65 by a length.
In the final race of the day, Hawkesbury trainer Scott Singleton’s Concessions had a narrow loss in a benchmark 70 over 1800-metres.
Officials dismissed a protest against winner King Tomula, who put a head in front of Singleton’s four-year-old mare.
Wade Slinkard’s Stradazzle was not far behind, nabbing third place.
The seventh race of the day saw Brad Widdup’s Contemplate run second by a length in a small field.
The 1500-metre class 1 handicap saw the four-year-old gelding bested by Claire Cunningham’s Savona Sunset.
Meanwhile, Hawkesbury Race Club has signed a sponsorship deal with the manufacturer of its new Polytrack.
The company, called Polytrack, will sponsor a number of races at the club over the next year, in an announcement made by race club chief executive Greg Rudolph and Polytrack founder Martin Collins.
“[The sponsorship] assists the club to make further improvements to our training facilities across the board, as we strive towards attaining the best training facilities for our horses and their connections,” said Rudolph.
The club also recently submitted a DA to Hawkesbury Council to build up to 75 on-course stables as it tries to grow its training business.