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Australian Turf Club (ATC) will honour the Club’s Foundation Female Members, longest-serving Members as well as recognise two new Life Members at Royal Randwick this Saturday.
Saturday is the fourth running of the Listed $160,000 Bob Charley AO Stakes named in honour of the distinguished former Chairman of the Australian Jockey Club, who was also inaugural Chairman of the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board and inaugural Chairman of the Australian Racing Board.
Mr Charley will be in attendance to propose a toast to the ATC.
A total of 17 ATC Members this year reach 50 years tenure with the Club as they join a larger group of fellow recipients celebrated at Saturday's annual raceday event.
A highlight of Saturday's celebration will be ten of ATC's Foundation Female Members with the Celebration of Women in Racing Handicap also part of the 10-race card.
The Honourable Michael McHugh AC KC, a former justice of the High Court of Australia, and Matthew McGrath, a former Chairman of the Australian Turf Club, will be recognised as Life Members.
Chairman, Peter McGauran paid tribute to the 17 Members who this year reach 50 years with the Club.
"ATC Directors and our Club are proud to recognise another group this year of our longest-serving Members who continue to be the very essence of the Club," Mr McGauran said.
"This annual celebration is fittingly held on a raceday which honours a legend of our Club and of Australian racing in Bob Charley AO.
"We also look forward to recognising an ATC Member, racing fan and a person of such great distinction in the Honourable Michael McHugh AC KC who in a remarkable career once held the highest judicial post in the nation."
Dragonstone ($8-$11 on TAB) now trained by Joe Pride and with Tom Sherry to ride is looking to win back-to-back Bob Charley AO Stakes – the first since Hot As Hell in 1998 and 1999.
Spacewalk trained by James Cummings and ridden by Jean Van Overmeire is the well-backed equal favourite ($4.60-$4) alongside another well-tried galloper Wewillrock ($6 into $4) for trainer John O'Shea.
Next is Conscript ($6-$5) for trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou and jockey Reece Jones.
