Pause thought FOR
By Patrick Bartley
A traditional blessing of the track at Flemington on VRC Season Premiere Race Day acknowledges the dangers faced by jockeys every time they are legged up on a racehorse, commemorates those who have lost their lives, and invokes good fortune for a safe season ahead, for them and their equine counterparts. VRC Season Premiere Race Day in early August was always synonymous with the first sign of Melbourne Cup Carnival competitors arriving back from their autumn spell. In recent years, however, the meeting has also taken on a different look – a look of remembrance. Some years ago, the Jockeys Association decided to have a ceremony at the Flemington race meeting to acknowledge the special skills, strength and courage displayed by jockeys past and present. Each year, on the opening Flemington race day of the new season, a race on the card is named the Jockeys Celebration Day Sprint. Father Joe Caddy AM, Vicar General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne will be in attendance to bless the track, and a minute’s silence will be observed between Races 6 & 7 in hopes for a safe season ahead for all riders and horses. Victorian Jockeys Association CEO Matt Hyland said, “It’s a special time for all of the industry throughout Australia to look at the work that the jockeys do, and the safety risks involved in those tasks. It’s a great chance to be in a position to stop and remember those who have fallen. “It is particularly pertinent this year as we remember our much-loved colleague, Dean Holland, who we lost on 24 April 2023 at Donald.”
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