Local recipients of Australia Day honours were special guests on the day, while festivities featured a flag raising ceremony and singing of the national anthem.

Sale Turf Club officials were delighted with the good crowd, with clothing bearing the Aussie flag prominent.

Members of the Boisdale-Briagolong Football-Netball Club celebrated Australia Day in style by booking a marquee. If their spirit and good will displayed on Thursday was an indication, they should be in for a great season.

Jockeys riding horses with the number one saddlecloth wore silks with an Australian flag design. Patriotic Aussies who followed the colours were rewarded with wins in the first and last races.

Jollience, ridden by apprentice jockey Thomas Sadler, romped home to win the first event, the 1400 metre maiden plate, much to the delight of Graeme Woolard and sons Neil and Peter, who are part-owners of the four-year-old gelding trained at Cranbourne by Nikki Burke.

It was the first win for Jollience, who has had 17 starts for six placings.

The other Aussie flag winner was Zlatan, ridden by Eddie Cassar, who won the last event, the 0-62 handicap.

Zlatan was coming off a last start win at Mornington, and the consistent four-year-old gelding now has three wins from only six starts.

Heaven’s Riches, ridden by Matthew Allen and trained Robbie Laing, won race two, the three-year-old maiden plane. Big Bubba Blue, ridden by Rhys McLeod, was second with Chasing Drama, ridden by Peter Mertens, third.

In one of the best finishes of the day, Miss Provocative, ridden by Ryan Maloney, Tanjil (Sally Wynne) and Ezyaz Oscar (Noel Callow) raced down the straight lock together with Miss Provocative winning by half a head from Mario Farrugia’s Tanjil with Ezyaz third.

Unruly Princess, ridden by Peter Mertens and trained at Cranbourne by Michael Kent, scored an impressive win in race four, the 0-62 handicap. Part-owner Brian Pavey said after the win Kent was pleased with the three-year-old fillies’ recent runs, which included a third at Geelong and a last start win at Kyneton.

Soliciting, ridden by Dale Smith and trained at Mornington by John Wheeler, won race five, the 0-68 handicap. It was only the four-year-old gelding’s fourth win from 20 starts.

Bembina, ridden by Noel Callow and trained by Robbie Laing, coming off a last start second at Bairnsdale, won race six, the 0-58 handicap.

It was another top day’s racing at Sale. The next meeting on Sunday, February 5, will feature the Sale Quality.