The Lesley Ann Leonard Memorial (400m) is one of the most prized and time honoured races at Dawson Park but Thursday’s edition was even more emotional and special than normal.
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The Dennis and Ann Barnes trained Nangar Rock produced a stirring fightback to win the $4600 event, but what people were talking about most at the track was Lawrence ‘Les’ Leonard.
Les, Lesley Ann’s father, was a Dawson Park regular and had been to almost all of the Memorial Finals since Lesley Ann’s tragic passing back in 1987 when she was just 17 years of age.
But in the early hours of Wednesday morning Les passed away after a battle with illness, leaving his sons and grandsons to take his place presenting the awards.
“It does mean a lot,” Ann Barnes said.
“My family used to come up here for years and years and were good friends with Les and you know everyone around these country tracks.”
The win itself was one which lived up to they hype around what many described as the best Memorial Final in some time, with all eight runners showing great potential so early in their respective careers.
Nangar Rock firmed from a $2.40 favourite into $1.85 by the time he jumped from box one but unlike his heat he failed to be the first one out.
Mousey McCoy ($11.80) got out the best from box eight and shot to the lead, quickly building a lead of two-and-a-half lengths.
Nangar Rock chewed into the lead down the back straight while the Paul and Pam Braddon trained Falcon’s Fury ($3.40), who had dominated the build-up alongside the favourite, started to work his way into the race.
By the time they hit the bend for home it was a race between three and while Nangar Rock went widest he powered down the straight and past the post to score a one-and-one-quarter length win while Falcon’s Fury finished tremendously to be second, ahead of Mousey McCoy.
“When he came up with the one box I was confident but Paul (Braddon) had the six and there’s nothing much between them, it was the jump that would win it,” Barnes said.
“He didn’t come out as well as I thought he would but he came home well and went well.”
The win cemented Nangar Rock’s status as one of the most promising dogs in the whole of the state and Barnes confirmed a step up in distance is next on the agenda.
The dog’s mother Fancy Liza was an acclaimed stayer who earned just short of $90,000 and Barnes said she imagines Nangar Rock will be running 500m or more in the near future.
While Falcon’s Fury and Darryl Thomas’ Mousey McCoy had to settle for minor places, the general feeling at the track was those two have many wins on the horizon.