Gates in spin for big race

Crowds frock up and flock to Cup after two years of restrictions

DEVONPORT Racing Club chairman Barry Milton says the return of big crowds for Wednesday’s Cup day is vital to help the club recover financially from two years of Covid restrictions.

Great weather ensured a bumper attendance flocked to the course for the city’s premier race day, with about 4500 on hand to watch Swoop Dog claim the main race and add to his last-start Longford Cup win.

The day was a big relief for the club after two years hampered by Covid restrictions, with Wednesday’s gate more than doubling last year’s attendance of about 1800.

“The committee is rapt, we could see this weather coming and we’re so appreciative of the crowd coming back again after two years of Covid restrictions,” Mr Milton said. “We’re nearly at capacity so that’s fantastic for the club.

“We lost $35,000 last year so we are trying to turn that around to about $50,000 (profit) this year for the club.”

The first running of the $109,000 Ladbrokes Carpet Charge, the richest synthetic sprint race in the country, was won by Turk Warrior, trained by Wesley Vale’s Glenn Stevenson.

“We’ve got nearly all the best sprinters in Tasmania, which is fantastic. We’ve never had a second feature race on Cup day, so it’s just brought more people in,” Mr Milton said.

Her horse-training father came agonisingly close to Cup glory later, but Barry Campbell’s daughter Jess ensured the family still put an early win in the bag.

Spreyton’s Ms Campbell partnered with Matt Snell to snare best dressed couple in Fashions on the Field, the fourth time they have won.

Barry saddled up Alpine Wolf and Dramazing in the Cup – they finished second and third.

Alpine Wolf was unlucky not to win, with Swoop Dog prevailing after a photo finish.

“We go in it most years but it’s always a bit of an effort to get the outfits together, a lastminute thing to get them to match,” Ms Campbell said.

“We got my headpiece first, which was yellow, so we had to find everything to match that.

“Dad’s won (the Devonport Cup) with Eastender (2019) a few years ago, which is good.”

Mr Snell said: “It’s a great day and great weather with lost of people. It’s quite exciting to have everyone back.”