THE first race of the day, the Benchmark 65 Handicap, was won by Ollie Runs Riot and jockey Steven Galvin in what was a close, competitive ending. 

It was a slight margin of 0.5 lengths and they came out just ahead of World of Pain and Tamara Tincknell. Ollie Runs Riot started with odds of $7.50 while the second placer started at $4.40. 

Neither horse had been tipped to win according to the starting odds of the day. It was fourth placer Smooth Element, ridden by Shane McGovern, that was predicted to win on odds of $2.80. 

The Class B Handicap was won by favourite How Big’s The Hole, trained by Winton’s Ray Hermann. How Big’s The Hole started at $1.75. 

Jockey Jason Babarovich did well with a respectable five margin lead ahead of second placer Snitzel Rose. Tincknell yet again was the second placer jockey. Their starting price had been $10. 

Babarovich claimed the next win but this time on Carry To Gold, which had been trained by Ken Foord. 

It was a nailbiting finish.

They scraped by against favourite Potholes by a mere 0.1 of a length in the 0-55 Handicap. 

Potholes had been ridden by Tim Brummell and their starting price had been $2.80 in comparison to the leader’s $4. 

Marginally behind was third placer Whisper Willow and Steven Galvin – 0.9 lengths from Carry To Gold. 

Fourth race of the day was the Maiden Plate. 

Fast Brass and McGovern won by an impressive nine lengths. 

It was the first win in the four-year-old gelding’s career, and he started out at $3 along with second placer Outback Andy and Katariina Aho. 

In third place was Guacamole and Terrence Hill and they were 10.3 lengths behind the winner. 

Race favourite had been Smiling Mistress, ridden by Tim Brummell. 

Their starting odds had been $2.25 but had been 35.8 lengths behind Fast Brass in the 1200 metre race, in fifth and last position. 

The Benchmark 45 Handicap was the last race of the day and was won by the Tanya Parry trained Rage Within. 

Rage Within and jockey Terrence Hill started out at $6. 

They were 0.4 lengths in front of Veganer – which had longer odds of $14. 

Predicted favourite Crystal Bear was further back in fifth place. Crystal Bear and Brummell started out at odds of $2.60. 

They were 6.5 lengths behind the first placer. 

In third place was Logan’s Run, ridden by Shaun Mossman. They were 2.9 lengths behind Rage Within.