When looking for the definition of track specialist it is hard to go past Ballarat mare Ronay.
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The six-year-old has made the Ballarat Turf Club's synthetic track her own over the past three seasons in the care of veteran owner-trained Paddy Payne.
All her eight career wins have been on the all-weather circuit - the latest in the Porter Plant Benchmark58, 1200m, on Friday.
Ronay has had 22 starts on the track, with seven minor placings to go with her wins.
She had her first start on the track at her third visit to the races, finishing third in August, 2019, after a 10-month break.
She backed up a week later and won, and the love affair with the Polytrack began.
BALLARAT trainer Emma Church combined with finance and leading jockey John Allen to taste success on her home track for the first time on Sunday.
She saddled up Silent Thunder, which she also owns, to land the Port Plant Maiden, 1400m, at Sportsbet Ballarat on Sunday.
It was the four-year-old gelding's first start for Church after previously being with Anthony Cummings in New South Wales.
Silent Thunder provided Allen with his fifth hometown win in three days after saluting on four occasions on Friday.
A DOUBLE in Ballarat on Sunday for Patrick Payne was part of a remarkable run for the Plumpton-based trainer.
After getting a winner at Caulfield on Saturday, he also had four winners at Mildura on Sunday to give him six for the day and followed up with another double at Hamilton on Tuesday.
INTERNATIONAL jumper Big Blue was back in winning form for the Ballarat stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace at Hamilton on Tuesday.
The 10-year-old handled a heavy10 track to take out a hurdle, 3200m - his first win in almost 12 months and just his second success campaigning in England in 2020.
AVOCA will be one of 13 racecourses across Victoria to receive jockey room upgrades to cater for the growing number of female riders.
Racing Minister Martin Pakula has announced $667,000 from the Victorian Racing Industry Fund for the project, with Racing Victoria, Country Racing Victoria and the participating clubs also contributing funding to the $1.3 million project.
The number of horses ridden by female jockeys has increased by more than 15 per cent since last year.
