The two trainers were awarded  life memberships at the club’s inaugural Gold Sponsors’ Gala Dinner at Muswellbrook RSL on Friday, October 10,  general manager Helen Sinclair said.

“Rita Englebrecht and Pat Farrell were presented with life memberships of Muswellbrook Race Club,” Sinclair said. “Rita has trained at Muswellbrook for 57 years and Pat for 60 years-plus.

“Both have been highly successful and Rita’s son Steve and granddaughter Gabriella now train out of Warwick Farm. 

“Pat has enjoyed success every year of his training life and has a large team of over 20 in his stables at Muswellbrook track.”

While Rita Englebrecht doesn’t have a runner at tomorrow’s Muswellbrook meeting, Farrell does. 

Four-year-old mare Bikini will have her 12th start in the www.muswellbrookraceclub Class 1 Handicap (1450m).

The gala dinner was held to draw the winner of naming rights to this year’ s $50,000 Vinery Stud Muswellbrook Gold Cup (1500m) which will be run on November 4.

Tomorrow’s $20,000 Tooheys South Muswellbrook Cup (1450m) is the feature race and has drawn a small eight-horse field including recent Moree Cup winner Monashee Woods and Tamworth Cup winner Pitt Street.

It also includes 11-year-old veteran Prior Baron.

Trained by Rod Northam at Scone, the chestnut gelding has won 11 of his 82 starts for $237,675 in prizemoney.

Stablemates Myamira and Big Money raced at Randwick and Caulfield on Saturday.

South Grafton Cup winner Myamira ran unplaced in the $85,000 Bartier Perry Benchmark 95 (1600m) while Ramornie Handicap winner Big Money contested the Group 2 $200,000 Perri Cutten Caulfield Sprint (1100m) at Caulfield, finishing a good fourth to dead-heaters Miracles of Life and Bel Sprinter.

The Country Horse of the Year was having his first run back since that marvellous Ramornie Handicap win at Grafton.