Millions of Australians will pause on Anzac Day to remember the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women, including many from Victoria’s trotting fraternity.
Among them will be David Miles, whose father Marty served with the 1st Australian Civil Affairs Unit in Vietnam. The Monegeetta horseman said Anzac Day was a “very important day on the calendar”.
“It is significant for the country; hopefully it never gets lost – I think we should respect what a lot of those men and women did for us,” Miles said.
“We go to the Dawn Service most years. There are a lot of families the same way.”
The Anzac Day Appeal raises funds to allow the RSL to tailor specialist services to the needs of servicemen and women and their families. To mark the appeal, special commemorative silks will be worn by the driver starting from gate one in the Anzac Day racing at Swan Hill tomorrow night.
Miles supported the event by trying on the silks at Melton this month.
“It’s a great initiative to make people aware, even the younger kids who maybe don’t get taught it in schools like we did at our age,” he said.
“I think any funds that can be raised for charities like (the Anzac Day Appeal) is well deserved.”
On the weekend Miles’ attention will turn to the $150,000 Lazarus Victoria Oaks, where he will pilot Enchanted Stride from outside the front row.
He said the Tasmanian Oaks winner, who finished strongly behind Smart As Camm Be in her heat, would acquit herself well on Saturday night but needed the dice to roll her way.
“She is going great; she’s a real honest little filly and she’s been real competitive in Group 1 class but from that barrier draw she’s going to find it really hard unfortunately,” he said.
“She circled the field and ran on very well (in the heat but) the way the marbles have fallen we are going to need a lot of luck to go our way this week. But if that happens she’ll take advantage of it; she’s a real opportunist.”
Shaun Campbell
for Trots Media