Last Saturday saw the opening of the 2019/20 season of the Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV) and Racing Victoria Off The Track Ridden Series of Qualifying Classes at local Victorian Agricultural Shows.
In partnership with Racing Victoria (RV) and the Victorian Agricultural Society (VAS), this marks the second season, which all three organisations have combined forces to show their support for retired racehorses.
Pakenham was the venue for the first show of the series featuring this class, with qualifiers running until the end of March 2020. Of the 84 upcoming show dates, 26 of the Off The Track Classes will be sponsored by Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria Members.
Saturday's class was won by Kathleen Mullan with her thoroughbred mare Divinity. Bred by Mungrup Stud in WA, the Oratorio mare race's name was 'Tide Up'. This striking six-year-old brown mare had her last start on a racetrack at Belmont back in June 2016 when trained in Western Australia by Trevor Andrews.
Kathleen, a familiar face on the showing scene, is the Equine Health and Welfare Coordinator for Harness Racing Australia. The partnership has experienced success before on the showing circuit, including at the 2019 Sydney Royal Easter Show.
To be eligible to contest the Off The Track Show series, horses must have competed in an official trial or started in a race, locally, nationally or internationally. Once a horse has won an Off The Track class they will gain automatic entry into the Off The Track Show Series Final.
The class was sponsored in conjunction with Mornington Peninsula based Musk Creek Farm. Rebecca Williamson – Marketing & Administration Manager of Musk Creek Farm was on hand to present the prize.
Musk Creek Farm is a boutique nursery located at Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula. Owned by David Kobritz and Teresa Poon, the farm is well known to Victorian breeders and is set on 140 acres of rolling hills and boasts ocean views as a backdrop. Graduates from their farm include; Unite & Conquer, Mandela, Irukandji and If Not Now When.
Upcoming Victorian Agricultural Shows featuring Off The Track classes co-sponsored by TBV Members:
5/10/19 Swan Hill – Class Sponsored by TBV & North Star Park Thoroughbreds
5/10/19 Seymour – Class Sponsored by TBV & Yarran Thoroughbreds
12/10/19 Sunbury – Class Sponsored by TBV & Sheamus Mills Bloodstock
18/10/19 Benalla – Class Sponsored by TBV & Riverbank Farm
18/10/19 Royal Geelong – Class Sponsored by TBV & Rosemont Stud
19/10/19 Kyabram – Class Sponsored by TBV & Rushton Park
20/10/19 Lancefield – Class Sponsored by TBV & Hesket Bloodstock
20/10/19 Rutherglen – Class Sponsored by Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria
23/10/19 Numurkah – Class Sponsored by TBV & Riverbank Farm
26/10/19 Warrnambool – Class Sponsored by TBV & Illowra Stud
27/10/19 Euroa – Class Sponsored by TBV & Illowara Stud
2/11/19 Coleraine – Class Sponsored by TBV & Nukkigup Farm
2/11/19 Colac – Class Sponsored by TBV & Jubilee Stud
5/11/19 Heathcote – Class Sponsored by TBV & Seymour Equine Clinic
8/11/19 Ballarat – Class Sponsored by TBV & DMC Racing Media
10/11/19 Dandenong – Class Sponsored by TBV & Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm
16/11/19 Kyneton – Class Sponsored by TBV & Contact Racing
16/11/19 Mansfield – Class Sponsored by TBV & Sheamus Mills Bloodstock
16/11/19 Lilydale – Class Sponsored by TBV & Sheamus Mills Bloodstock
23/11/19 Daylesford – Class Sponsored by TBV & Spendthrift Australia
23/11/19 Yea – Class Sponsored by TBV & Seymour Equine Clinic
18/01/2020 Lang Land – Class Sponsored by TBV & Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm
1/02/2020 Yarra Glen – Class Sponsored by TBV & Daisy Hill
07/03/2020 Warrigul – Class Sponsored by TBV & Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm
22/03/19 Bunyip – Class Sponsored by TBV & Ampulla Lodge
