Cup meeting proceeding with no crowd

BELATED PRESENTATION: Seven months after the completion of the 2019/20 local pacing season, Barry Finnis (right) received his trainer's premiership trophy, sponsored by The Border Watch and presented by our racing and harness writer David Gilbert.

By David Gilbert

EVERY year literally hundreds of people from the Limestone Coast eagerly cross the border in November for a day of fun and frivolity at the Dunkeld Cup meeting.

In the past five years the annual meeting has risen to new heights with crowds in excess of 10,000 becoming the norm, most of those the younger generation.

Apart from Warrnambool cup day, Dunkeld cup day attracts the biggest crowd of the year for a race meeting in western Victoria.

As we know, 2020 is an entirely different year due to the COVID-19 virus, and the Dunkeld Racing Club committee reached a stage whereby a decision had to be made as to whether the meeting on November 14 will proceed, be moved elsewhere or scrapped completely.

A decision was made last week and yes, the meeting will proceed at Dunkeld however nobody, apart from required staff from Racing Victoria, jockeys and trainers, will be allowed to attend.

“We obviously sort of hung out as long as we could but, in order to prepare as a club, we needed to make the call,” Dunkeld club president Edward Blackwell said.

“With less than a month until our iconic Dunkeld Cup, we believe it is appropriate to advise the racing and wider communities at this time so that any travel and accommodation plans can be dealt with accordingly.

“The only people permitted to be on course next month for Dunkeld cup day will be essential staff, volunteers, and registered and licensed racing participants and regional owners with a runner on the day.“

Like many other racing officials, Blackwell is concerned as to what long term effects the COVID-19 pandemic will have.

Down the track, Blackwell is already pondering if the days of 10,000 plus people may be a thing of the past at Dunkeld.

TRACK THE MAIN REASON

SOME media outlets recently suggested the reason the Mount Gambier Gold Cup meeting was not proceeding on December 4 was primarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, in local racing circles, the strong belief is the fact the course proper at Glenburnie being out of action until next year is the main reason the cup meeting has been put on hold until 2021.

According to Thoroughbred Racing SA, the chief racing body in this state, racing clubs in country and provincial South Australia are currently allowed up to 1,000 people through the gates and, on the proviso an approved COVID management plan is submitted, 2,000 people can be allowed on course for feature days.

The South Australian Jockey Club, which races at Morphettville, has just been given the all clear to have crowds increased from 1,000 to 2,000 people for Saturday meetings. 

Both the Murray Bridge and Balaklava clubs were given permission to have 2,000 people on course for recent cup meetings, although that number fell short at Murray Bridge due to a rare cold, wet and windy day.

I am sure the Mount Gambier club would have jumped at the opportunity to have had its cup meeting in December if the track was up and ready to go and the green light was given for 1,000 people (and perhaps 2,000) to attend.

After all, it has only been in the past few years the club has

pushed strongly for, and been granted, a December cup day date.

NEW LEADER AT MILLICENT

OCTOBER is normally AGM time for most Limestone Coast racing clubs, and Millicent held its AGM last Monday night.

After two years at the helm Mark Dwyer has stepped aside because of ongoing health issues.

Dwyer, in my opinion, was an excellent president in difficult times as he had to negotiate a tricky period when relations with the Penola club were frayed, to say the very least. 

Then, due to COVID-19, the Millicent Cup had to be run without a crowd and it was run at faraway Bordertown instead of Mount Gambier..

Apart from his good financial expertise, Dwyer’s knowledge of racing administration both locally and throughout the state is first class through his many contacts and will be a loss for the Millicent club.

Dwyer has opted not to remain on the committee but is keen to remain involved with the club’s cattle scheme and track maintenance at the Millicent racecourse.

In his outgoing report, Dwyer mentioned the Millicent club moving its annual meeting to Mount Gambier, stating “negotiations that have taken place with Mount Gambier have been a pleasure to deal with from the president down”.

The 2020 Millicent Cup was run at Bordertown in May due to the Mount Gambier track being closed.

That hiccup was not reflected in the balance sheet as the Millicent club lifted its profit from $11,240 in 2018-19 to $30,786 last season. 

Most of that profit last season was thanks to the cattle/farming scheme which returned a profit of nearly $30,000.

Into the president’s seat is a newcomer to the local racing scene in John Payne who is employed at Sebastopol Machinery in the sales department.

“I was born in Bordertown where I had my own business and have been in Millicent for six years,“ Payne stated, adding that he is a keen racing man as an owner and a punter.

Vice presidents for the new season are Brenton “Yogi“ McMillan and Jeremy Kenny, with Simone Berry continuing as secretary and Julie Considine as treasurer.

Millicent’s annual race meeting next year is set down for Mount Gambier on Sunday, May 30.

In the past decade, the Penola club has been the most stable of any local club when it comes to administration.

That continued at its AGM recently when Mark Edwards was again returned as president for another term.

Justin Kain remains as vice president, Belinda Holland is secretary and the committee is unchanged.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

THE 2019/20 local harness racing season ended back in March and the presentation of awards was supposed to be a few weeks later.

COVID-19 put an end to that and the presentation afternoon was eventually conducted last Sunday.

Leading trainer for the season was Barry Finnis with son Jayson winning the driver’s premiership.

Victorian driver Xavier O’Connor was the concession driver of the season and the three-year-old horse of the year was Ash Park.

Both the most improved pacer and horse of the year award went to the Finnis trained Crown Royale.

Shane Glynn was a worthy recipient of an award for tremendous service as a volunteer in numerous roles for more than 40 years with the club.

PATIENCE AND MORE HORSES REQUIRED

THE most asked question last weekend in local harness racing circles was why the Mount Gambier club was again allocated a late starting time for last Tuesday’s meeting.

Mount Gambier and Port Pirie are co sharing Tuesday evening meetings and the original understanding was that each club will alternate the starting times.

Mount Gambier was due to be first cab off the rank on Tuesday but found themselves with a 8.39pm start for the first of three races while Port Pirie commenced at 6.20pm.

“It was a business decision by Harness Racing SA and, quite simply, we don’t have enough horses at present,” club president Simon Phillips explained.

Just 19 pacers went around in the three races here (average 6.3) compared to 33 horses for four races (average 8.25) at Port Pirie.

“Betting turnover is usually higher earlier in the night in prime time and Port Pirie had three races with each-way betting down to third placing while we had none,“ Phillips added. 

“Ross Neal, the CEO of Harness Racing SA, told me ’don’t get disheartened, Mount Gambier will go first when field numbers improve’, which will hopefully be in the next few weeks.“

BROUGH BACK IN THE CART

DRUMBORG’S Kevin Brough has been a household name in local harness racing for decades and seemingly had retired from race driving a few seasons ago.

Brough came out of hibernation on Tuesday night with two drives and had success with She Will Wantano ($2.10-$1.90 fav.) in the second local race.

Veteran reinsman/trainer Bill Drury seems to have found a new lease of life and had another winner when Machbad ($4.10) led all the way in the opening race.

Congo Line was the shortest priced favourite ($1.30) and justified that quote for the Barry Finnis stable with an effortless win in the two-year-old pace. 

SECOND CUP ATTEMPT

THE closest stable to the Limestone Coast with a horse running in next Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup is Horsham trainer Paul Preusker with Surprise Baby.

After winning the Adelaide Cup last year, Surprise Baby rattled home for fifth in the Melbourne Cup 12 months ago and on Tuesday will have the services of top Melbourne jockey Craig Williams.