By David Gilbert
LAST year, the Penola Cup meeting on Easter Sunday was a runaway success and attracted the biggest crowd for the year to a Limestone Coast meeting.
Early indications are that it will be just as good this Sunday, with big nominations and warm weather forecast.
The glut of meetings over Easter in the region on both sides of the border has had no effect on the Penola meeting, with nine races and a total of 98 final acceptors.
It is the big family day of the year for Limestone Coast racing, with plenty for the family to enjoy, including a visit from the Easter bunny and kids races on the racecourse.
As with last year, the crowd has been capped at 1,000 plus industry personnel.
The two horses who provided the quinella in the Blue Lake handicap on Mount Gambier cup day – Prospectus and Thrill Kill – appear the two main chances in the 1700-metre Penola Cup, although Thrill Kill is also an acceptor for the Warracknabeal Cup tomorrow.
Going into the meeting, Tatiara trainer Darryl Dodson has a slender lead in his quest to win his first Limestone Coast trainer’s premiership.
Dodson made a rare trip to Gawler last Sunday with three runners and did not come home empty handed.
His winner was the well-backed Disco Tillmorn ($2.50 fav.), an eye-catching second on Mount Gambier cup day, who ran home strongly from last on the home turn to take out the 1200-metre BM 54 handicap.
DEFINITELY ON THE RIGHT TRACK
DARE we say it, but it looks as though the Glenburnie racecourse is finally the real deal after more than 20 years of constant hiccups.
The track played magnificently for Mount Gambier cup day a fortnight ago, bringing rave reviews from those who really know, namely the jockeys.
Adelaide jockey Paul Gatt rated it “11 out of 10” in his cup acceptance speech after that memorable win aboard Clever Man.
Victorian jockeys Declan Bates and Michael Poy, having their first rides at Glenburnie since the latest redevelopment, heaped praise of the highest order.
Confidence in the track by owners and trainers resulted in big fields (93 runners for the eight races) and the best cup field for years.
It was music to the ears of Mount Gambier racing club president Peter George and his committee, plus track manager David Shepherdson.
Victorian trainers supported cup day extremely well, with 24 horses crossing the border, including four runners in the Mount Gambier Cup.
“It (the track) raced brilliantly,” a clearly delighted Shepherdson stated earlier this week.
“We had 63 horses use it for track work last Tuesday and the rail will be moved out three metres for the next meeting on April 27.”
Another feather in Shepherdon’s cap was his recent appointment as the South Australian representative for the Australian Racecourse Managers Association, which will include a trip to Randwick in August for the annual conference.
MUCH TO BE DONE
THROUGHOUT its long, proud history, Mount Gambier cup day has been a “must attend” sporting day, not only for racegoers but for anyone who loves a great social day out.
People from all over the South East, western Victoria and further afield had the date marked on the calendar months in advance as their day of the year to reunite with hordes of Mount Gambier citizens.
In recent times, crowds for Mount Gambier cup day have dropped off markedly from the average of 3,500, none more so than a fortnight ago despite near perfect weather.
Yes, the Mount Gambier Racing Club budgeted for a much smaller crowd of 1,000 paying customers but even that number fell short with only around 880 people filing through the main gate.
It was expected the 1,000 online tickets would have been snapped up well before cup day and the unexpected shortfall meant general admission tickets were made available at the gate.
True, Covid would have scared some people away but the pandemic seemingly had no effect on the 7000 plus people who attended the first night of the Fringe festival at the showgrounds three weeks ago.
What did deter a lot of people from attending, especially the older generation, was the need to book a ticket online.
Many regular Mount Gambier cup day attendees, plus many from outlying areas, could not be bothered going online and prefered to either stay home and watch the races or attend a local Pubtab outlet.
Furthermore, if you purchased a ticket online and opted, for some reason, not to attend, no refund was available.
So, suddenly Mount Gambier cup day, for many, went from a “must attend” day to a “I don’t really care if I go or not” day.
To look out across the vast lawn area – in years gone by filled with people – and see it almost vacant with plenty of empty chairs, was not a good look for Mount Gambier cup day.
There is every possibility Penola cup day this Sunday, which was a huge success last year, will attract a bigger crowd and definitely a better atmosphere than what we had at Glenburnie a fortnight ago.
It used to be so simple to go to a race meeting, as it still is with attending local football and soccer, where you simply turn up at the gate, pay the admittance fee and in you go.
Mount Gambier Racing Club president Peter George admitted the online ticketing system has to be looked at and it will be addressed at Limestone Coast Thoroughbred Racing level.
Attendances at the lead up functions, namely the cocktail party and especially the cup calcutta, were well below expectations.
Before the next Mount Gambier cup day meeting, much has to be done to again make Mount Gambier cup a “must attend” race day again.
DOUBLE FOR BARKER
HAMILTON driver Jackie Barker took the honours with a driving double at the Greenwald Paceway last Friday night.
It was back to just a three race program and good priced winners were the order of the night.
The in-form pacer Bayside Victory ($8) made it three wins from his past four starts with success in heat one of the Border Cup.
Fire Official ($5) gave Barker the first leg of her double with an all the way win in the second heat.
It was harder work for her second leg but a classic drive enabled Presidentialchange ($8-$13) to score first up in the NR 51-56 pace.
The Border Cup final is at Hamilton this Sunday and our tip – on an each way basis – is Bettorbewright from the Steve Fennell stable following her strong finishing third in her heat.
Her stablemate Ash Park ($2.25 fav.) regained winning form from a run of 13 outs to win the NR 51 pace at Horsham last Monday afternoon with Lochie Cook in the sulky.
