Parker, Hammarquist, Hughes among winners at Geraldton Turf Club

Local and visiting trainers split the spoils in hot sunshine at Geraldton on Sunday. Some familiar names were in the winners’ circle, with gallopers trained by Willie Parker, Graeme Hammarquist and Allan Hughes flying the flag for the locals at Geraldton Turf Club. Peter Knuckey piloted Glass Off home in race two for Parker, while Startrade won race three for Anderson with Keshaw Dhurun aboard. Hammarquist’s Black Money won race five with Kate Southam aboard and Andrew Castle booted Colour Me Quick home for Hughes in race eight. Jockey Jerry Noske, a regular at the track, had another day to remember. She sailed home in race four on Yankee Lima. The city-based horse, from Oakford-based trainer Rhys Radford’s stable, was far from in poor company. The field included Gordon Spowart’s Chix Chatter, Hammarquist’s Haystacks and runners trained by Ashley Maley (Kiwi horse Stocktaka) and Tony Scally (Rome), among others. But it was clearly Yankee Lima and Noske’s day as they thundered down the straight unopposed. “It was cool,” Noske, said. “When you hear silence you think ‘is it still a race, or am I winning by a lot?’ “He led easily throughout. “They just couldn’t catch him, it was a pretty strong win.” Noske has been a long-term fixture at Utakarra. She has raced at most of the local meetings since she started her career about nine years ago. She said with half a dozen meetings left in the season, including the Geraldton Cup, there would be plenty more chances to visit. “I come up pretty much every meeting,” she said. “I love this track.” Gessato won race six for Kylie Craig and Eliminate won race seven for city-based John Reynolds. Visiting trainers won the other races. Parlare won race one for Russell Stewart and top trainer Adam Durrant’s One For The Road won race nine.