Flemington’s sparse Saturday crowd was a reminder the spring carnival is over but there’s still a spring in the step of a senior shetland named Pepper.

Pepper is a regular visitor to headquarters from his home base at Kyneton.  “He’s 23 but doesn’t know it,” Gisborne based handler Alisha Harris joked.  “He loves the return trip to town with our other ponies.”

The shetlands circle the grassy patch adjacent to the turn out of the straight and, even on quiet days, they’re popular with the kids.  Pepper took time out on Saturday to pose in his Xmas gear with Sebastian Yaxley and Jasper Liliard from Ascot Vale.

Photos / Eve Milner

SEBASTIAN YAXLEY

JASPER LILIARD