Jockey club secretary Michele Martin said the bigger-than-expected crowd was generally well behaved with the party atmosphere including young people and families.

“We were very happy with the crowd with no major problems on the night,” Mrs Martin said.

“There were eight marquee Christmas parties on the hill and the ‘Legless Pedestrians’ provided the dance music after the last race.”

It was also a good afternoon on the track for local connections of ‘Grand Expectations’ which took out the feature event of the day, the Macquarie Valley Ag Services Benchmark 45 handicap over 1000 metres.

Owner Harry Barclay credits the George Wright stable at Parkes for the win with the mare running fourth, third, second and having two wins since being taken on by the trainer.

Mr Wright was quick to point out that the horse was already “in very good shape” and “very honest”.

“Harry had her looking a treat and performing well,” agreed strapper and track rider George Wright junior. “Michael Hackett usually rides her but she went well today for David Pisani.”

Grand Expectations won by a length-and-a-quarter from Turon with Little Rikki home third.

Also of interest on the day was the appearance of young South African jockey S’manga Khumalo.

Mudgee Guardian reporter Don Mahoney, who was trackside on the day, said the 24-year-old was a leading African rider with 350 winners under his belt.

He said S’manga rode his first Australian race at Mudgee Cup day in November and was the first South African rider of African origin to ride outside his continent.

S’manga had three starts in Friday’s five-race program at Warren and finished fourth on Retrenched behind Greg Ryan on Grand Neartic, the Kacie Chater-ridden Diamond Dance and L’Resistance ridden by Joe Galea in the Macquarie Toyota B and D Earthmoving class 1 handicap. “S’manga will back up with the Tracey Bartley stable,” Mr Mahoney said. In race one Daniel Edmonds booted home Don’t Play Fool from Flash Academy and Words of Wisdom. Greg Ryan had another win on Hate to Wait in the Warren Secretarial Services-Supa IGA Fillies and Mares Maiden Handicap, with For What Its Worth and Gusset filling the minor placings. It was a two-horse race in the finish of the Clubhouse Hotel Entires and Maidens Maiden Handicap with Jack the Man responding well to Daniel Edmonds to beat Rich Reef by two-and-a-quarter lengths with Bold Joker third.