Latest News

By Tony Megahey

Northern NSW racing icon Trevor Hardy, who educated world-rated Zac Purton and Glen Colless as apprentices, is poised to win another regional feature at the Casino TAB meeting on Saturday afternoon.

Hardy, a prolific winner of country majors over four decades, has performed galloper and Doomben winner Youwaitndsee primed third-up at 1400m in the Liberty Service Stations, North Coast Petroleum Woodlawn Cup.

The Casino Club is hosting transferred meetings from the Lismore Club that is rebuilding from catastrophic flood damage.

Casino secretary-manager, Renee Opryszko, is enthused by capacity fields for six races and has planned extra services for an anticipated booming attendance. The region has lost numerous meetings to flooding.

“It’s just a relief to be up and running again, we’ll have TAB and bookmaking services on the corresponding meetings at Hawkesbury, Newcastle and Caulfield,” she said. “After so many washouts in the area, we’re so happy Casino is finally able to accommodate big fields for the local industry who have lost so much racing.

“Our biggest meeting, Gold Cup Day was washed out, Lismore and Murwillumbah have lost meetings, but finally with some decent weather, we’ll race on a good rating on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, Hardy and his daughter Joanne, have several runners, engaged at Casino. Youwaitandsee an eight race winner, carries the impost of 61kg in the $10,000 Cup. The five-year-old has been freshened after winning a feature event named in Trevor Hardy’s honour at his home track Coff’s Harbour in heavy conditions in mid February.

However, the Doomben winner is adaptable on any surface, indicated by six of his wins on a good rating, and up to 1600m. Hardy also has prospects with stable-mate Eddy Would Go in the fourth race, a class one, while daughter Joanne has contenders with Weavered and Comm And Cents, drawn wide in the second event, a maiden.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Casino here