By JARROD POTTER
FROM bedlam to beauty in the space of a generation, local trainers and former jockeys Pat Hyland and Lenny Marshall have marvelled at the growth of Sandown Racecourse over the past 50 years.
With vivid memories of the inaugural race meet at Sandown Racecourse – now William Hill Park – Hyland and Marshall couldn’t believe how many were cheering the horses past the post.
The crowds flocked to Sandown for a chance to see the state’s stars take to the new American-style racecourse on 19 June 1965 – with 52,000 people in attendance.
As he started in the saddle as a spry 14-year-old apprenticing for Jim Moloney, Hyland, now 74, has seen many champions come through the south east en route to Sandown.
While track-legend Samson took the inaugural Sandown Park Stakes, it wasn’t much of an outing for Hyland who didn’t pick up a winner there for half-a-year after it opened.
“It was a bit of a bun fight,” Hyland said.
“There were a heap of people there, it was amazing, it was a big day, a great day as well.
“I didn’t have much luck – it took me a long while to win a race at Sandown, but it was a great track, even in the initial stages of it.
“It stood up really well to racing and was a great camber and great track to ride on – I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t win a race on it for so long, but we got going after a while.”
Hyland would eventually get his just glory at Sandown though as he won the Sandown Guineas on Birthday Card in 1967 and once more aboard Opposition in 1976.
Marshall also thought the first meeting was amazing – both for the massive crowd and how he was never far from a win there, even if you were stuck in the pack early.
“Bedlam… it was a massive day, Marshall said.
“Big crowd, great racing and beautiful track.
“In my opinion I always thought it was the best track to ride on – beautiful – win from anywhere, come from behind, sit four deep and still win.
“Beautiful track to ride on.”
Brothers-in-law Hyland and Marshall will head to the yard to watch the 1600 metre Sandown Guineas as the Pyingerra Park tandem watch Craig Hewitt guide three-year-old stable hope Gredington.
“If he runs up to his Mooney Valley run then he’ll win, if he runs up to his run at Flemington he’ll run last,” Hyland said.
“We took the blinkers off him at Flemington – Blake Shin? Rode him at Mooney Valley and he suggested we take the blinkers off as he pulled a bit.
“We took them off and was probably the wrong thing, so we’ve put them back on him and he’s got a pretty aggressive jockey on Saturday (Newitt), so he’s a horse that takes a bit of riding and I think he’ll run super ’cause his work has been really good.”
Sandown Racecourse will celebrate its 50th birthday on Saturday at the Spring Carnival Race Day – starting at 1pm with the Santa’s Magical Kingdom Stakes before the headline races the Zipping Classic at 3.25pm and the Sandown Guineas at 4.40pm.
