Wangaratta Men's Gift

100 years of the Wangaratta Gift. We have seen lots of different spectacles. Bikes, finals under lights strung only above the track, wood chop, huge crowds.

There is some quality entered for this one. I cannot wait to watch the final after the fine spectacles from last week.

Seb Baird should be in a top three place here running 12.07 at the bull

I like Rosen, pall, Harry Kerr,seb Baird, m Burls, r Lugo
That’s my 6
Winner would have to be seb or dion

Didn't Dion do a hammy within the last couple of weeks?

donatello wrote:Didn't Dion do a hammy within the last couple of weeks?

Did he do a hammy or Krumble I was told he was winning his first gift......

Baird tough to beat after his showing at Warrnambool. No news on the track allowance from there though? A few athletes would be sweating on a healthy allowance... Baird might not even be entitled to a Stawell lift!

Sensing a bit of State of Origin rivalry this weekend! This time round it'll be VIC vs SA, The Vics (Kerr/Burleigh/Boulton) vs SA (Houlihan/Baird/Evans) in the final is my prediction. Hopefully the NSW athletes (Mah/Newman/Eckford) can get across the border and give the Vics a run for their money!

No surprises here - good night for the bookies

Boulton
Houlihan
Baird
Ireland
Ware
Burleigh

After the Big Show goes Bang at Wang for 3 gifts in a row they will be renaming it Bailey Showgrounds! He grows another leg at this meet and I can’t believe everyone has jumped off the Bailey Bandwagon.
3 peat coming up from Rosen and Kerr

Bang Bang wrote:After the Big Show goes Bang at Wang for 3 gifts in a row they will be renaming it Bailey Showgrounds! He grows another leg at this meet and I can’t believe everyone has jumped off the Bailey Bandwagon.
3 peat coming up from Rosen and Kerr

Bang would be good to see! But does the form agree? From the historians amongst us, anyone know how many (and which ones) times a gift has been won 3 times let alone 3 in a row?

Can't be many I would think!

The Big Show will miss the final here, his best work will be at the pub later in the night.
I have 4 of his stablemates ahead of him in the hunt for a final. Wouldn't surprise if the real King of Wang Cam Dunbar gets himself right in the mix this week.

Baird
Ware
Houlihan
Kerr
Dunbar
Burleigh

Ireland, Boulton and Antonino outside chances.

In recent history Donatello, can’t think of any 3peaters
A few double winners:-
P.Tancredi & J.Bailey - Wangaratta
C.Mckenzie, D.Baxter & M.Eddy - Maryborough
P. Emerson - Ararat
P. Tancredi - Keilor
P.ODwyer, C.Dunbar - Rye
M.Webster, R.Green - Bendigo
B.Howard, JL.Ravelomanatsoa, J.Ross - Stawell
Any others???

A good mix of chances Mick Taylor. The lure of going head to head with Neon Dion in his return to racing, might hold back Boomba Dunbar this week. Probably wants a shot at the welterweight Dad Bod title he holds onto.

Din Djarin wrote:In recent history Donatello, can’t think of any 3peaters
A few double winners:-
P.Tancredi & J.Bailey - Wangaratta
C.Mckenzie, D.Baxter & M.Eddy - Maryborough
P. Emerson - Ararat
P. Tancredi - Keilor
P.ODwyer, C.Dunbar - Rye
M.Webster, R.Green - Bendigo
B.Howard, JL.Ravelomanatsoa, J.Ross - Stawell
Any others???

ravelo won Stawell gift once. 1975.

B Foley won Stawell gift 1970, 72.
R Ballard - Wangaratta x2
P Saultry - Wangaratta x2
J J O'Sullivan - Wangaratta x2
J Boulton - Wangaratta x2
https://kbonreflection.wordpress.com/tag/jason-boulton/
M Carter - Maryborough x2
P Bennetto - Ballarat x2
P O'Dwyer - Ballarat x2

Just tipped the winner , go you South Aussies , really good to see quality fields

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183012880?searchTerm=Wangaratta%20Gift

1931 Wangaratta Gift – 90 years ago

Sporting Globe article – Wednesday 4 February 1931.

PETTIONA'S CONFIDENCE
HOW he won the Wangaratta Gift

"I'LL win the Wangaratta Gift alright. Just wait until tonight, and I'll be collecting that cheque for £110 and the sash and badge," remarked Cecil Pettiona the South Melbourne
footballer, as he chatted with some friends in the dressing room after having won his heat.

A few hours later Pettiona engaged in a hectic finish with Malcolm Dunn (South Australia) in the grand final. Pettiona won by a narrow margin in 12.0sec. The other place-getters
were T. Bowen and I. H. Cannon.

Many a true word is spoken in jest. Little did those who heard Pettiona joking about his prospects, realised that he was destined to gather in another "Gift."

Of Italian extraction, the South Melbourne athlete is a young man of determination, and though he could not be regarded as a boaster — his general demeanor in the reverse — he is a firm believer in the dominance of mind over matter.

On Boxing Day, when he was placed fourth in the Castlemaine Gift, he was not dispirited. Nor was his trainer, Andy Phillips, who has been connected with foot running for more than 30 years. Each has absolute confidence in the other. Hence their success.

Going to Nyah (Vic.) on New Years Day, Pettiona, with a handicap of 10yds, won the Gift worth £100 and took first honors in the 75yds sprint handicap. So that in the space of a few weeks he has augmented his banking account, depleted because, like many other athletes, he is unemployed. His occupation is that of a rubber worker and he was employed by the Dunlop-Perdriau Rubber Co.

DUNN'S WONDERFUL FINISH
There was spirited racing in the heats and semi-finals, and the grand final provided onlookers with a great finish. The big crowd enjoyed every moment of the race.

Dick Manley, the starter, got the six runners—T. Bowen (11½ yds); E. J. Strain (9½ yds); I. H. Cannon (7¾ yds.); C.W. Pettiona (6½ yds); Mick Maroney (5 yds); and South Australian Malcolm Dunn (2 yds) in great style.

The race was fast and furious, as with strained faces they dashed along the billiard table course – a credit to the ground staff - to the accompaniment of a roar from the crowd. Maroney, the local lad, had a tremendous following, on account of the fact that he had won, the "double" last year.

At 50 yards Bowen was about 3 yards in front, with Strain, Pettiona and Maroney forcing the issue. Dunn was going great guns. When Pettiona gathered, in Bowen about 20 yards from the tape his follower leapt with joy. But they received a rude awakening just on the line. Dunn flashed past - just a fraction too late.

Pettiona had won. He richly deserved the success. No one begrudged the South Melbourne League player the honors. It was a fitting finale to a series of wonderful track battles. The Gift had been won by a good runner, and what is more, a good sportsman.

Educated at the Christian Brother College, at South Melbourne; the Wangaratta Gift winner is 23 years of age, stands 5ft. 9in. in his socks, and was born at South Melbourne.
When he won on Saturday, several of his former classmates were first on the scene, to congratulate him.

''Was I not right? Did I not say that I would wear that sash?" said Pettiona, with a laugh, as Mr. Arthur Callander (president of the Wangaratta Athletic Club) decorated him after the race.

Last year he won the 100 yards handicap at the Dandenong St. Patrick's Day sports, with 11 yards start. Under the able tuition of Andy Phillips, Pettiona has improved considerably, having earned his latest success through sheer hard work and a strict attention to training.

You all forget about the one and only kris, aka mussel man
Geelong champ a couple years ago and he knows how to do it on a hard track his ready I’m ready

great to see so many votes on the poll for this weeks race
unfortunately most of the people voting have no bloody idea

so here's the gift final for you..

Luke Hooleyham
Daniel Sonseeknee
Seb Beared
Jack Island
Nat Burley
Tim Raisin

hope the first 5 fall over and Tim wins