Goulburn trainer Neil Day has etched his name in the history books after winning the first race at Wagga’s new harness racing track.
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He won the first race at Goulburn's new track over a decade ago and repeated the dose in windy conditions on Monday.
El Aguila set the Riverina Paceway alight, setting the fastest time of the meeting in the opening race.
The debutant clocked a mile rate of 1:54.6 to win the Welcome To Riverina Paceway Three Year Old Maiden Pace (1740m).
Day was pleased to take first honours.
“It was good,” Day said.
“I’ve had a little luck and drove the first race when the opened Goulburn’s track so it was good to get the double.”
However he gave David Druitt plenty of credit for the fast time.
El Aguila ($2.70 fav) sat behind Roylance ($5) before Day extradited the gelding a the top of the home straight before going on to win by 12.1 metres.
“He went quick but it was set up for him too,” Day said.
“The horse in front was bowling along nice and strong so he had a good trip on his back.
“It worked out well.”
However Day wasn’t too keen to test out the new sprint lane, the first for any track in the Riverina.
Instead he guided the three-year-old to the outside before going on to victory.
“I don’t train them up the sprint lane so I thought I had better come to the outside and let him go what he does best,” he said.
Day was impressed with the track and the general facilities.
“It was a pleasure to drive on and it is going to be very, very good,” he said.
“The facilities are good too.”
No stranger to racing in the Riverina, Day expects to be doing plenty of racing at Wagga’s new track.
However it won’t be for every meeting.
“We can’t as they put the local races on, but we do come very often and will certainly be coming more with the new track.”
There was a real Goulburn theme to the meeting with Brad Hewitt taking out the two-year-old with Rockin With Elvis.
Ellen Bartley also helped added to Team Teal’s fund with her win on Hunza Valley.
Doing it tough, the four-year-old sat without cover but still went on to win by 7.3 metres and triggered a $200 donation by Harness Racing NSW to the Women’s Cancer Foundation.
The mare clocked a mile rate of 1:55.0 as she brought up her fifth win.
It took over four seconds of her best winning mile rate.
Dragon Stride set a new best mark for the 2270-metre journey after winning the only race over the distance to complete the small card.
He ran a mile rate of 1:58.5 in his all-the-way win.
Wagga races again on Monday before the grand opening on March 10.
