Racing into a fashionable look

A highly successful race day fashion event was held at Ruakaka race days LJ Hooker-sponsored Fashion Fiesta on Saturday.

The Spring Race Day at Whangarei Racing Club had a very large crowd on course with more than 200 seated in the newly built LJ Hooker Fashion Fiesta enclosure.

The supreme winner of the fashion competition was Jayne Broome, who wore a silver ensemble highlighted with pinks and pale blues, with a fabulous large silver hat and silver stillettos completing the outfit.

Part of her prize package is entry to the Fashion in the Field event at Ellerslie in March, accommodation, expenses and sponsored prizes from local Whangarei businesses, including Caci Clinic, Steve Haywood Master Jeweller, Passion for Hair, and Polwarths of Dargaville.

Ms Broome's outfit certainly was designed for race day wear which was part of the criteria for judging the competition, as Mrs Broome and husband Jack Broome are the stalwart promoters behind Project Promise, Ms Broome having worn this outfit on Project Promise race day.

Master of Ceremonies Charmaine Soljak had the event well in her control keeping the large crowd entertained with Ruakaks singer Tammy D'ath slotting in a few songs throughout the day.

Most of those attending were dressed resplendently to fit the occasion and the surroundings included crystal chandeliers suspended above the catwalk and a silk-lined black and white garden party themed enclosure where the action on the catwalk was filmed live to a giant screen below on course.

All this was fine-tuned between each of the 10 races.

The LJ Hooker Springplate was won by Balerune trained by Leo Molloy and ridden by Paul Taylor.

The club's richest race for the year, the Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes, was won by the Peter McKay-trained Antonio Lombardo, a class above the field on this occasion, he streaked to the lead early and left the field to it.

Antonio Lombardo had been picked days before to win the race so there were no surprises when he achieved this easily.

The racing club's on course turnover exceeded expectations being up around $10,000 from last year.

The club trialled more than 100 horse across 16 heats on Monday and will trial again on October 4, but in the meantime will be preparing for two big race days on January 5 and 18.