All Volunteer Bushfire Brigades Are Local Legends Maiden: How Geraldton Turf Club thanked emergency services

The Geraldton Turf Club has joined a growing list of community tributes to the emergency services who responded to the bushfires that destroyed two homes last week. Six of the seven races were named in honour of various frontline heroes, including about 200 firefighters, who defended Geraldton’s northern suburbs. The action kicked off with the All Volunteer Bushfire Brigades Are Local Legends Maiden followed by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services Maiden. Round four thanked local and Perth-based career firefighters, while round five acknowledged the water bombers’ extraordinary skills. The turf club also highlighted volunteer services from Northampton and the wider Mid West-Gascoyne region, with rounds three and six dedicated to them. Turf club chairman Brian O’Dwyer said the naming of the races was long-time manager David Wrensted’s idea. “It was one way of acknowledging the efforts those firefighters put in to control those fires in a difficult situation,” he said. “That’s all it was, a gesture on the turf club’s part and suggested by David Wrensted that we could do our little part to acknowledge their contribution.” O’Dywer said no one at the turf club was affected, but did offer to help those who were. “No doubt people with horses would have been fairly apprehensive,” he said. “Staff did suggest that we could open up our spare stables to anyone that was in need of somewhere to store their horses. That wasn’t necessary, but the offer was there.” It was a productive day in Ukatarra for jockeys Amy Jo Hayes and Holly Nottle, both taking out two races apiece. Hayes had a strong start with Truly Supreme storming home to win race one, before backing it up in race five with Onemoretwomany. In her third and final race, she finished on the podium with Now Showing. Meanwhile, Nottle, who featured in all seven races, emerged victorious in two, with Lotsamerit and Sanabeau winning races two and six respectively. The other three races went to In Situ, Southern Scandal and Scurgeofthewest. The turf club will host one final meet next Sunday, before the Walkaway Cup on December 27. WINNERS’ LIST R1: TRULY SUPREME (T: G. Delane, J: A.J. Hayes) R2: LOTSAMERIT (T: G. Wright, J: H. Nottle) R3: IN SITU (T: B Stokes, J: T Faithfull) R4: SOUTHERN SCANDAL (T: G. Hammarquist, J: J Tsang) R5: ONEMORETWOMANY (T: A Hughes, J: A.J. Hayes) R6: SANABEAU (T: R. Cowl Jnr, J: H. Nottle) R7: SCURGEOFTHEWEST (T: T. Scally, J: K Yuill)