Race one on the program saw Barraba trained Stonefly win The Shed Company over 1400 metres setting a new class record in the process in 1.24.78. The Wilson family prepared Stonefly won by three lengths from Princess Nikita and Montana Gazumpt, who was one-and-a-half lengths third.

Race two on the day was taken out by Russian Empire by a head from Lord Nidan and Eleventh Hour six lengths third. Russian Empire was ridden beautifully by Tracy O’Hara and got up on the line over Inverell trainer Heather Dunn’s Lord Nidan who was unlucky.

The time of 58.68 was also a class record over 1010 metres.

Race three on the day was also a tight affair with Inverell trainer Wayne Oakenfull’s Runaway Shadow winning by a nose from Your Latest Trick with Qualosun in third. Runaway Shadow was ridden to perfection by Jasen Watkins and peaked at the post in a sensational finish.

In one of the feel good stories of the day and ironically the biggest race of the day – an Inverell Retravision sponsored event, Japanese jockey Motoki Okada rode Nardoola Kid in his first major outing to pip the highly fancied John Berger trained Zedda Jay and Major Gamble, both Inverell trained horses. Another Inverell prepared horse Lenny’s Lot was fourth.

The time was 1.24.1 over 1400 metres.

Okada was grinning from ear to ear for the rest of the day having come to Australia as an unknown and now very much in the frame for quality rides with summer approaching.

Race five was the Sapphire City Security and BK Oliver 1200 metre event which Moree trainer Martin Fernando claimed with his horse The Ebenezer Kid by half-a-length from Whiskers Hill and Waterbury a half-length third. Inverell trainer Nancy Stewart claimed fourth on Legal Blue.

The winning time of 1.11.36 was certainly up there.

The successful day of racing was enhanced by some great entertainment trackside. There was a jumping castle for the kids, fashion parade for the ladies and the car raffle.

Leonie Moffitt of the Inverell Jockey Club said it was without a doubt one of the more successful and better days at the track on Holy Trinity Day.