SOUTHERN District Racing Association (SDRA) is mourning the loss of life member Bob Vaughan.
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The long-time racing supporter passed away on Monday, aged 79.
Vaughan was a starter in the SDRA for 37 years and started more than 12,000 races during that time.
Vaughan started his first race meeting at Tumbarumba in 1975 and oversaw the start of 30 Wagga Gold Cups during his time.
He also served the Gundagai-Adelong Race Club board for 30 years.
Vaughan was a much-loved and well-respected racing identity throughout the district and was formally recognised with SDRA life membership in front of family and friends in February last year.
SDRA president David Wallace said Vaughan will certainly be missed.
"He took his job seriously and was a gentleman at all times," Wallace said.
"He was very popular and had a lot of good friends in the racing industry."
Vaughan spoke of how he missed his involvement in racing "terribly" at last year's life membership presentation.
SDRA chief steward John Davidson paid tribute to Vaughan's contribution to the industry.
"Bob was a legend of a fellow," Davidson said. "He was fiercely loyal and racing has lost one of its truly great servants in Bob Vaughan."
MTC chief executive Scott Sanbrook said Vaughan will be long remembered.
"Bob made an outstanding contribution to racing in the Riverina," Sanbrook said.
"His effort in being the official starter for 30 Wagga Gold Cups is amazing.
"It's a record which is expected to stand for many years to come."
Bob was married to Margaret for 60 years and they had seven children, 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
A Requiem Mass will be held on Friday at St Patrick's Parish Catholic Church, Gundagai, starting at 11.30am.
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JERILDERIE trainer Phil Sweeney is back in the driver's seat of a new Jeep but it remains to be seen how long for.
Sweet Emily regained the lead of the Jeep 55 Second Challenge last Friday night when she raced away for an impressive victory at Moonee Valley.
The four-year-old is racing in a rich vein of form at the moment as she made it three wins from three starts this preparation with victory in the $55,000 Benchmark 78 Handicap (955m).
It was the sixth heat of Jeep 55 Second Challenge and more importantly, Sweet Emily's time of 55.18 seconds was enough to put her back in the lead.
The trainer of the horse that claims the fastest time of the series wins a $70,000 new Jeep.
Sweet Emily hit the lead in the series when she ran 55.35 in heat four, only for the Darren Weir-trained Let's Rock 'n' Roll to shade it by 0.1 second a fortnight later.
A dominant performance last Friday night where Sweet Emily ($2.60) trounced her rivals by 2¼ lengths put her back in number one spot.
Sweeney is excited by the mare's current form.
"She's pretty quick and she's going well isn't she?" Sweeney said to racing.com.
"I drive an old Ford Falcon but let's just see what happens. We'll see how she pulls up and take things one step at a time."
The series finishes in March.
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ALBURY Racing Club will conduct the only Southern District race meeting for the week on Thursday.
As a result, Albury has been hit with big fields.
The seven-race card has capacity fields with a total of 129 acceptors for the meeting.
Top Victorian jockey Brad Rawiller is set to make a rare appearance in NSW and ride at the meeting.
The first race is scheduled for 2.03pm and the last for 5.53pm.
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WAGGA jockey Brad Clark has been given the all clear to return to the saddle.
Clark visited the specialist in Sydney yesterday and successfully gained a clearance to return to race riding.
Clark has been given a clearance from December 1 and hopes to make his return at Wagga's meeting on Saturday, December 6.
"I'm very happy," Clark said.
"Especially given I've got a clearance to return to mountain bike riding too, which will help with my weight and fitness level."
Clark has been riding track work for the past three weeks.
He started the year in brilliant form before a fall in a barrier trial at Bathurst in September.
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WAGGA trainer Scott Spackman enjoyed success at the Goulburn Cup meeting on Sunday.
Spackman kicked off the eight-race card when he won the opener with Sparkling To Win ($10.00).
The five-year-old started as the outsider of the four-horse field but scored comfortably for jockey Kathy O'Hara.
Spackman also had Off The Rocker in at Goulburn and she finished sixth, beaten just over two lengths, in the $30,000 Guy Walter Fillies & Mares Benchmark 70 Handicap (1300m).
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WAGGA trainer Joe Price continued his good run with Burnt Sugar at Adaminaby on Saturday.
Burnt Sugar scored her second win from six starts with Price when she took out the $6000 Russell's Run Class One Handicap (1000m) on protest.
The four-year-old has enjoyed two wins and two placings from four starts since joining Price's stable from Bob Milligan at Taree.
The Adaminaby meeting was well supported by Southern District trainers.
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WAGGA apprentice Megan Taylor enjoyed one of the biggest days of her career in front of her home crowd at Hay last Saturday.
Taylor enjoyed wins on Koree Lass ($10.00) and Saraton Rose ($5.00) to claim her first winning double.
It could not have been better timed as she returned to her home town of Hay for its annual cup meeting.
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FORMER top jockey Nick Ryan enjoyed the second, and biggest, victory of his training career on Saturday.
Ryan highlighted his skills as a trainer when he prepared Strongman for a dominant first-up win for the stable.
Strongman ($5.50) had not run for five weeks as he was transferred from the Tom Ollerton stable to Ryan's yard and he raced away with a 10-length victory in the $10,500 Hay Gold Cup (1800m).
It was Ryan's second win from nine starters as he continues to establish himself as a trainer at Albury.
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THE second Southern District Racing Association (SDRA) Awards Night again proved a success last Friday night.
About 80 industry participants and enthusiasts turned out to Murrumbidgee Turf Club to see the Southern District's best recognised.
The judges could not split Wagga staying mare Jo Jo Girl and Albury sprinter The Monstar as they shared a tie for SDRA Horse of the Year.
Promising Albury filly Loved Up took out the inaugural SDRA 2YO of the Year award.
Gundagai official Len Tozer claimed the SDRA Personality of the Year, from a star-studded group of finalists.
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LEADING Wagga apprentice Nick Heywood used the SDRA Awards Night to update the racing community on his knee injury.
Heywood told the room he believes he will be out for at least three months.
Heywood did damage to his knee in a barrier mishap at Goulburn earlier this month.
The 18-year-old, who accepted the SDRA apprentice's premiership last Friday night, will visit the specialist again in a month's time.
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TALENTED Wagga jockey John Kissick experienced an up-and-down day at Wagga last Thursday.
Kissick produced a top ride to claim the feature race, the $20,000 Stan Sadleir Stakes (1200m), on $21 chance Art Thou Ready for Wagga trainer Todd Smart.
Unfortunately, the day ended on a disappointing note when he picked up a suspension in the last.
Kissick pleaded guilty to careless riding and will be out from Sunday, November 30 and can return on Friday, December 12.
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SOUTHERN District trainers are among those targeting the $80,000 Wodonga Cup (1600m) on Friday.
Brett Cavanough has nominated Prince Pedro and Price Of Glory, while Phil Sweeney has Final Jest, Kevin Hanley has Arctic Grey and Emma Steel has Defenceman among the nominations.
The final field will be released on Wednesday.
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What's On
Racing
Thursday: Albury (TAB)
Harness racing
Friday: Young (TAB)
Saturday: Albury (TAB)
Greyhound racing
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
