The 42nd running of the Harden & District Picnic Races attracted plenty of spectators as the sun shone down on the six races run throughout the afternoon. On the track the day got off to a perfect start for ex-Harden local Scott Spackman, with She’s A Doer breaking her maiden in her first career race. Trained out of Wagga Wagga and ridden by jockey Emily Waters, the bay filly went into the 1300m Maiden Plate as favourite at $2.80 and didn’t disappoint the punters who followed the money. Ms Waters had a second win for the day in Race 2, when she saw Rodger Waters trained gelding Mo Cent over the line in the 1000m Picnic Handicap. Dubbo-based trainer Todd Smith had success with State of Grace in Race 3, with jockey Leigh Taylor picking up his first win of the day. Race 4 was taken out by Michael Travers trained mare Gettin’ Tipsy, beating out Spackman’s Acrojack. Race 5 was the main drawcard for the day, the Harden Picnic Cup, with $10,000 in prize money on the line. It was won by trainer Connie Greig’s gelding Pickaxe, going into the race at 10/1 but steaming home with Leigh Taylor on board as jockey. Greig, who trains her horses in Dubbo, had great success at Burrangong Picnic Races a fortnight earlier, winning three of the six races on the program. Her mare Cobocco then went on to win the last, with jockey Leandro Riberio picking up his first victory of the day. Off the track was hotly contested as ever, with the Fashions on the Field hotly contested and well backed by the attendees on race day, who will begin preparations to run the annual Picnics once again next year.
