Different prizes but same goals

RACING: Des Ryan chuckles at the irony.

On the very day a glitzy $10 million sprint enters the racing world, a storeyed country cup meeting celebrates its centenary.

The Everest, staged at Royal Randwick, and the Manangatang Cup, in the distant reaches of Victoria’s Mallee district, have little in common – apart from a shared date and four-legged athletes. In reality, they’re polar opposites. But both are part of the Australian racing tapestry.

With seven-figure Group races on offer at Caulfield’s phenomenal Guineas meeting, the “Manang” locals know their place.

And the farmers, community and sports clubs who run the Cup meeting couldn’t care about where they sit in the pecking order.

Unlike the winner’s prizemoney purse of The Everest – a mind-boggling $6 million – the $20,000 Manangatang Cup is a far more modest affair with $11,000 to the victor with stipends of $500 down to 10th.

It’s more than enough to attract a decent field.

Manangatang is a town of 300. Tomorrow, that number will swell tenfold – or more.

The beneficiaries of the annual flood are widespread.

“The whole town gets something out of the races,” Ryan, the racing club’s long-serving president, said.

“The schools to the hospital and sports clubs and hall committees all benefit and that’s what great about the day.”

Ryan expects a crowd of more than 3000, when the customary Heidelberg Football Netball Club bus fleet rolls into town.

With seven races on the card, Ryan is expecting many of the former jockeys to have ridden at the meeting to return to the track.

“The Cup has some great history,” Ryan said. “It’s a great event.”

Nobody, from near or far, disputes that – even those at Caulfield and Randwick.