Australia’s top trainer Darren Weir took out his second Ballarat Cup but it was the smiles on Juliana Addison and Michaela Settle’s faces that were the biggest after their double win in the state election by huge margins surprised many.

The wins for the ALP mean more than two decades of Labor in Ballarat and with the likely win of Ripon by Sarah de Santis, the region is now a uniform red.   

If this election was about decentralisation and investing in the regions, it appears the majority of people believed the Andrews Government was the group most capable of delivering.

With very strong swings that have turned Wendouree and Buninyong into safe Labor seats, the real task ahead will be delivering on these promises and completing the projects to meet future growth.

The Courier will be there to hold them to their word.