Races loved Frankston

Cranbourne jockey Craig Williams steered Full Moon to victory in race one at Sunday’s I Love Frankston meeting at Cranbourne Racecourse. 24467 Pictures: Stewart Chambers

By Marc McGowan
CRANBOURNE Turf Club chief executive Neil Bainbridge has hailed Sunday’s I Love Frankston Cup meeting’s new place on the calendar a raging success.
Cranbourne trainers Rodney Douglas, Colin and Cindy Alderson, and Bevan Laming all enjoyed success at the meeting.
And Cranbourne hoop Craig Williams – fresh from booting home the last three winners on Oaks Day – rode a double to cap his big week.
Danny Brereton piloted Laming’s in-form four-year-old gelding Naadji ($3.70 favourite) and the Aldersons’ Ombre ($8) past the post first in races four and seven respectively.
Flemington trainer Dean Lawson and apprentice jockey Dean Holland combined to claim the I Love Frankston Cup with seven-year-old gelding Itsamonty ($6).
Itsamonty finished almost a length clear of Cranbourne trainer Ray Cleaver’s Whitehaven Girl ($3.90), with $3.40 favourite Rasmussen a further half length back.
A 3200-strong crowd flocked to Cranbourne Racecourse on the weekend – 25 per cent better than the 2600 punters who attended the meeting’s February timeslot this year.
Bainbridge was thrilled with the turnout.
“Sunday was a very good day. It was our second spring feature and to have 3200 people here was a good result,” he said.
“It was a beautiful day for racing and we had good success on the track, with local trainers winning three of the eight races and home-grown jockey Craig Williams riding a double.
“From a racing point of view, we had a good field in our $50,000 feature, the I Love Frankston Cup and the race is only going to grow in stature.”
Cranbourne has three more meetings for the year as part of its Christmas Carnival, starting on 23 November.
“It’s going to be a busy period for us and it doesn’t stop after Christmas, with two features in January,” Bainbridge said.
“Having racing here every second Sunday has proven really popular with the locals, and the community, and people clearly love it.”