MORNINGTON NEWS scoreboard
Right result in thrilling Mornington Cup By Julian Cook MORNINGTON hasn’t heard many cheers louder than on Saturday when Right You Are was declared the 2023 Neds Mornington Cup (2400m) winner. The atmosphere was electric as Hezashocka and Right You Are paired off down the home straight with fans left on the edge of their seats in one of the closest photo finishes in recent memory. With the crowd left in limbo for several minutes while the judge deliberated, Right You Are’s co-trainer David Eustace, who watched the race from a friend’s wedding, was none the wiser as to the result. “I wasn’t sure actually,” Eustace said. “I actually thought that it could have easily been a dead heat but yeah, it was close, wasn’t it?” Reflecting on the performance the next day, a proud Eustace was quick to heap praise on his powerful gelding who began his marathon preparation over seven months ago in BM84 grade. “Obviously he was very, very tough,” Eustace said. “Yeah, it was terrific and you know, he just keeps on going from strength to strength.” The Mornington Cup was Right You Are’s incredible sixth win from his previous seven starts. When asked whether his latest performance, against arguably one of the most talented Mornington Cup line-ups of all time, had surprised him, Eustace said that it’s Right You Are’s longevity that had amazed him the most. “I wouldn’t say necessarily ‘surprise’ but yeah, it’s not necessarily that you’d expect him to end up racing for so long,” Eustace said. Now likely to head to the paddock, Right You Are will be set for the biggest challenge of his career this spring with his Mornington Cup victory securing him automatic entry into October’s $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m). “Absolutely yeah, I suspect he will have a bit of a break now and obviously we’ll focus on getting him spot on for the Cup,” Eustace said. For now, Eustace’s attention will turn to overseas with he and co-trainer Ciaron Maher heading a strong Australian contingent on their way to Royal Ascot in the UK with their star filly Coolangatta. “Really looking forward to that, it’s going to be a great trip, hopefully,” Eustace said. “Yeah, that’s our focus for the next six weeks, getting her spot on for that.”
Picture: Racing Photos
Celebration: Frankston Hockey Club life members celebrated and reflected on the half century milestone. Cake time: Des Piper and Russell Whitney blow the candles out on the 50th birthday cake. Pictures: Supplied
Hockey club sticks at it for fifty years FRANKSTON Hockey Club has celebrated 50 years of fun and friendship within the City of Frankston. The club was founded in 1973 by a group of passionate local players that consisted of hockey greats Robert “Chicken” Howell and triple Olympian Des Piper. Together, the club took a trip down memory lane on Saturday 1 April for an anniversary celebration and shared
PAGE 36
Mornington News
stories and laughs as Teams of the Decades were announced. Joining in on the celebration were founding members Neil Rist, Russell “Hollywood” Whitney and triple Olympian Des Piper who were accompanied by a strong showing of Life Members and family members of other founding members who were not able to make the evening. “We were grateful to have Des make
25 April 2023
the journey from NSW and join us on the evening who was named captain of men’s Team of the Half Century,” current president Chris Wall said. “The night was not only a milestone celebration and announcement of the teams, but it also served as a great opportunity for teammates and volunteers to re-connect as well as introduce the current generation of members to the Stingrays who came
before them.” The club has experienced many highlights of the last 50 years including being one of only four Melbourne clubs to grow memberships past prepandemic numbers, Mr Wall said. “2022 saw the club clear 240 active memberships with 2023 looking to be even stronger,” he said. Other recent highlights include the women’s first grade premiership in
2019 and men’s first grade premiership in 2022. In the last 12 months, there has also been the fantastic efforts of Victorian Masters Representatives Travis and Chris Firth and Victorian Junior Under-15s representative Kobi Hull. Mr Wall said the club was looking forward to celebrating more feats and milestones as the Stingrays forges ahead in the next 50 years.