MERRIGUM’s Greg and Jenny Pell celebrated their biggest win in the sport when their pacer The Panthiest claimed the $200,000 Breeders Crown three-year-old fillies final at Melton last Saturday night.
Making the win even more sweeter was The Panthiest was the fact the owners also bred the filly.
The Panthiest had six career wins from 17 career starts going into the final and used the sprint lane to down the pacemaker and favourite Sweet Louise to snare the $100,000 first prize.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions the Pells were not at the meeting but cheered home The Panthiest on Sky Channel coverage.
The Panthiest is by top sire Bettors Delight out of the smart and multiple winning Art Major mare Paintball and is a half-sister to the smart youngster Holi Starzzz, a winner of four races from 12 starts.
She is trained and driven by Monegetta horseman David Miles who has a lot of success over the years with horses owned by the Pells.
●Also savouring Breeders Crown success at the weekend was the Kyabram members of the syndicate which race the extra smart trotter Always Ready.
Always Ready claimed the $30,000 Group 2 Breeders Crown Championship for four-year-old entires with an all-way win at Friday night’s meeting at Melton.
It was the four-year-old's 13th career win from just 20 starts and took his prizemoney earnings to $171,270.
Members of the Kyabram syndicate with ownership shares in Always Ready are Phil and Trudi Plumb, Geoff Berry, Terry Gregory and Stuart Laidlaw.
●Parkland Golf Club stalwart Peter Fraser was bestowed with a life membership of the Goulburn Murray Golf Association at its annual general meeting last week.
Peter was praised for his leadership, dedication, management skills and professionalism in his role as president of the association for 17 years up until 2017.
He had been on the association’s board for 27 years.
His first association with the former GV Golf Association dates back to 1986 when he joined the junior committee.
Peter has also managed to play a vital role in the progress of Kyabram’s Parkland Golf over five decades in which he served as the club’s secretary for the last 48 years.
He has also excelled on the fairways at Parkland, snaring 13 club championships. He recently claimed the club’s Ron Stagg Memorial Match Play Championship for the first time. He is a life member of Parkland.
Current president of the Goulburn Murray Golf Association David Roberts made the presentation to Peter and was glowing in his praise of his efforts for the sport.
●Rumbalara Football Club will have former St Kilda player Jason Traianidis again at the helm in the 2021 season.
Traianidis previously shared the role with Kane Atkinson.
Rumbalara is confident a successful recruiting drive will make it a force to be reckoned with next season in the Murray Football League.
●Country cricketing great Mick Ryan, whose passing was covered in these columns last week, was a member of Toolleen Cricket Club’s 1957 premiership side in the former Rochester Cricket Association.
One of Mick’s teammates in that side was John Neilsen, the father of ex-Australian cricket coach and South Australian cricketer Tim Neilsen.
●Junior football structures in two leagues in the Goulburn Campaspe area will be maintained in 2021.
A review by AFL Goulburn Murray has resulted to no change in age groups in the Goulburn Campaspe Junior Football League or the Shepparton District Junior Football League.
Both leagues will have under 10, under 12, under 14 and under 16 competitions.
But the Seymour and District Junior Football League has opted to switch to under 11, under 13 and under 15 competitions in a bid to make its league sustainable into the future.
●Finally there’s some good news for Murray Football League club Echuca United.
After an exodus of players, ex-player Jarrod McMaster has returned to the club as reserves coach.