Four of the six races on Yea’s season-opening card last Saturday were won by three-kilo claiming jockeys, suggesting the future of Victorian picnic racing is in good hands.
Dual licence-holder Cameron Thompson kicked off his career in the saddle last season with a winner at Mansfield, and has trained a handful of winners since.
He won the opening race last Saturday on the $8 outsider of the field, Last Bus Home, for Geelong trainer Gregory Webb.
An addition of blinkers since her last run and a rise in distance brought an improved performance from the six-year-old daughter of Coroebus, a maiden son of Choisir and blue-hen mare Circles of Gold. The half-brother to Elvstroem and Haradasun now has two winners from just 11 named foals.
Thompson both trained and rode the third winner on Saturday, the nine-year-old Wandjina gelding Monsoon Reins scoring by a length to bring up his third career win at start 38.
Catherine Hutchinson’s gelding Machinegun Krelley was second. Hutchinson (nee Tremayne) was a Group 1-winning jockey both in Australia and in her native New Zealand, and is back training a small team in 2026 after a few years off.
Teenager Charlie Brooks rode his first winner last April in his first season of riding and following a good ride aboard 80-1 shot Rebillyous (fifth) in the Corinthian at Cranbourne eight days prior kicked off the season proper on the right note with a winner in race five.
Brooks teamed up with picnic legend Reg Manning to win the VLP Yea Open Trophy(1600m) on Grand Sage, a winner at Sale in April as a 53-rater in a benchmark 62, who proved too classy for his opposition.  
Wrapping up the day for the rising stars of the saddle was the latest addition to the ranks, Glenn Xiberras, who steered the David Dean-trained Eight Under ($3.60) to victory in the final event.
Born in Malta, Xiberras has lived in Australia for 10, years working as a stablehand and track rider in Ballarat for Archie Alexander for several years and now for promising young trainer Taige Weir. Xiberras, who had a racing background in Malta, recently went on a fitness drive and decided to make the hard work and weight loss count, applying for his picnic riding licence earlier in the year.
“It was a fantastic start. The crowd was much bigger than I thought, it was such a good atmosphere and to ride a winner was excellent,” Xiberras explained.
“It was good to repay David (Dean), who gave me three rides on my first day. I’ve ridden quite a few jumpouts for him and we kept in touch about the possibility of me riding a few for him.
“All of the boys in the jockey room were very welcoming and a big help. I’m looking forward to competing every weekend.”