Weatherley Family Creates History at Cambridge

It's been a while coming for New Zealand to have its first raceday on a synthetic track, but for Darryn and Sam Weatherley it was well worth the wait, reports NZ Racing Desk. The father-and-son team combined to win the first ever race on Cambridge Jockey Club's newly developed polytrack on Wednesday courtesy of Champagne Princess in the Magnum Industries 1550. Trainer Darryn Weatherley was ecstatic to team up with his son to take out the historic race. "That is one record no one will ever take off me," he said. Droves of local supporters flocked to the meeting and Weatherley said the atmosphere was electric on course. Having raced on Heavy11 grass tracks in the last week, Sam Weatherley said it was a welcome change to return with clean riding breaches and silks after the race. "It's great, I have got no mud on me or anything. I can't say a bad word about it," he said. Matamata-trained runners won the first two races, with Champagne Princess paying $23.50 and the Mark Brosnan-trained Pablo Casals ($36.20) winning race two, before Cambridge trainer Chris Wood struck in race three with the well-supported Funtonic ($3.60). Among the large gathering was NZTR chief executive Bernard Saundry, who explained the significance of the new facility to Trackside (see below).