A large crew of the MattyB DEPT. traveled down to Wangaratta and Albury over the Australia Day weekend and raced at 2 fantastic carnivals.

The star at Wangaratta was Alex Carew who finished a close second in the 120m Gift Final. Running of a very tight handicap of 3m Carew got within 0.03 of a second from winner Rhys Parkinson (John Henry trained). Other athletes to make the final included Jesse Matthews in the 400m and Nathan McNab 70m and Novice Finals.

A total 14 athletes from the Beckenham and Breen squads supported former squad member Tom Burbidge’s Albury Wodonga Gift (AWG) and congratulations goes to him for running such a wonderful event.

Olympians Melissa Breen and Lauren Boden had strong hit outs with both making the Women’s Gift final finishing 3rd and 6th respectively. Lauren also made the final of the Women/Vets 300m and Melissa made it to the semi finals of the Open 120m Gift taking the prized scalp of Josh Ross in the semi.

Alex Carew ran strongly to make the final of the 400m and Brendan Matthews, Ollie Wurm and Grant Billingham ran in the Backmarkers Final.

Melissa Breen trained athlete Nathan McNab again ran well to make it into the 70m Frontmarkers Final.

Footage of races available (all will be up by 5pm today)