25/07/2009
In an innovative approach to race handicapping Shane Stiles asked everyone how fast they would ride and handicapped them accordingly. Not surprisingly the scratch men told him some white lies and ended up winning the race but only just. (Note, the scratchmen were estimated to ride at 37.5kph, they managed 36.2 for the four laps).
First away was Renee Patrick with 19 minutes head start. Next was Tammy Patrick and Cy Monk who were 4 minutes back. They caught Renee early in lap 2. Following Cy and Tammy were Latrobe City pair Wayne Tunks and Grub Melnyk. They had two minutes start on Paul Kennedy and Joe Patrick. Next away were Matt Kennely and Jarryd Jones. They decided early on to wait for Rob Monk and Simon Baxter who began 2 and half minutes in front of scratch men Paul Yeatman and Callan Barker.
After one lap Rob Monk, Jones, Baxter and Kennely were working well together and were taking time out of the groups in front. Nearing the end of lap two they could see Kennedy, Patrick, Tunks and Melnyk in front. They caught them on the long drag up to the corner and all but Joe Patrick were unable to hang on along the rolling hills in the back section of the course. Monk, Baxter and Jones rotated turns and at the beginning of lap 4 they managed to catch Cy Monk then Tammy Patrick. The scratch pair of Yeatman and Barker had kept working together and they also joined the group at the front of the race. After a flurry of short lived attacks from Baxter and Barker it was clear that Jones and Monk were only interested in sitting on the back and waiting for the sprint. Along Parkers road the final time Yeatman set a gently tempo but no-one else was keen to roll through and give him a break.
In the run to the line Joe Patrick took off and quickly established a one hundred meter break. While the leaders played a game of chicken letting him ride up the road Monk laid off the back of the bunch and took a run at them at top speed hoping to chase Joe down without taking anyone with him. He flew past Joe with two hundred and fifty to go and still looked like the winner in the shadows of the post. Yeatman had other ideas though and in a perfectly timed sprint he passed Rob with a few meters to spare to take out the win. Joe Patrick hung on for third in what was an outstanding ride for a junior.
