He was rewarded for this support on Saturday when his galloper Harry Devil showed a turn of foot to score an impressive win in the Hunter Landale Memorial Class 1 Handicap.
The race was in honour of Hunter Landale, who made a significant contribution to both local racing and the broader community.
Harry Devil, by prominent sire Harry Angel, was sent out $3 favourite after being beaten only four lengths in a tougher assignment at Bendigo when second up from a spell a fortnight previous.
He was travelling well behind the placegetters coming into the home straight, and when clear running presented he swooped on the lead and won convincingly by more than four lengths from Gunbower mare Sparkles, with Wagga galloper Iconic Rose finishing well to grab third place.
A successful day of racing started with a 1000m Maiden Plate.
Former northern Queensland trainer and jockey combination Stefan and Chelsea Jokic, now based at Bendigo, had galloper Alvin looking a picture in the mounting yard and the son of Overshare showed he was ready to break his maiden status at his 26th start.
The $3.70 favourite Natalie Joy, who was a handful for jockey Hannah Le Blanc before the race, led to the turn but couldn’t maintain the momentum.
Alvin came off the speed to get passed second placegetter Manhattan Darling, with Echuca galloper La Shadow in third place.
Race two, a Benchmark 50 over 1200m, was won by an 11-year-old veteran, Swift Hit, at his 68th start.
The gelding, who has won more than $200,000 in prizemoney, was not far off the early leader and face favourite Postwar on the turn and was able to grab the lead in the straight and score by a length.
The winner is owned and trained by Peter Smith at Seymour and was ridden by apprentice Cassidy Hill.
Top weight Chosen Venture had to overcome the outside barrier and battled hard in the straight to finish third.
Race three was a 1400m maiden with Echuca-trained Larza City ($3.50) and Andrew Dale’s Coachella Lass ($3.30 fav.) the popular runners.
They were among the early leaders, and both were still prominent rounding the home turn with Coachella Lass holding the advantage.
However, at her fifth race start and coming off some tougher assignments, Larza City was able to get the upper hand and win by just over half a length.
The winner is trained by Gwenda Johnstone and was ridden by Nathan Punch.
The final race on the card with the smallest field of the day was a 1600m Class 3 Handicap.
Young apprentice jockey Joshua Loy, who had his first race ride earlier in the day, was aboard the $2.40 favourite Vasala, from the Darrell Burnet stable in Wagga.
Young Loy took the son of Snitzel straight to the front and the result never looked in doubt. He was cruising in the lead rounding the home turn, then kicked clear in the straight to win comfortably by nearly four lengths and give the ‘hoop’ his first victory.
Graham, trained by Aileen Vanderleen at Bendigo followed the winner throughout and boxed on for second placing, with the other well supported runner, Too Big, in third place.
Leading jockey on the program was Nathan Punch, with a winning double and three minor placings. Training honours were split, with winners from six different stables.
The Deniliquin Racing Club’s next meeting will be Anzac Day 2027.
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