Club Races
Barnett Bags Victory
Stawell Racecourse Handicap
Sunday 4th October 2009

	Alan Barnett

With some riders away for the Geelong Open, a small field of only 8 riders tackled the Stawell Racecourse 55km handicap last Sunday.

Les Power and Danny Monaghan led the field away in good racing conditions, with a lead of 9 minutes.

Chasing, off 3 minutes 30 seconds, Alan Barnett, Peter Parnaby and Peter Mayo made good time until they lost Mayo after 15 kilometers, but still had made up 2 and a half minutes on the limit riders by the Pomonal turn.

Scratch riders Dean Hayward, Frank Kean and Sean Prins were still about 2 minutes behind at the Pomonal turn, but caught the tiring Parnaby and Barnett 9 kilometers later at Mokepilly.

On the return journey to Stawell, the combined middle and scratch riders overtook the limit riders with 11 kilometers to go, with all riders together until the Black Range 6 kilometers out of Stawell.

Frank Kean broke clear on the last hill, but was swamped about 400 meters from the line, with Alan Barnett going on to win. Dean Hayward just edged out Danny Monaghan for second place.

Dean Hayward recorded fastest race time of 1 hour 28 minutes.