CUP TO RUN
Deniliquin and district will be off and racing in just a matter of weeks, with the Deniliquin Racing Club’s Caulfield Cup Day race meet confirmed for October 16.
The club met Sunday evening to reassess the possibility of holding the cup this year, after most of regional NSW was removed from lockdown on Saturday.
There were fears it would have to be cancelled this year as a result of the lockdown, however Friday’s announcement from the NSW Government allows racing to go ahead under some restrictions in regional NSW.
The club is yet to confirm its crowd capacity at the Deniliquin Racecourse, but will start selling tickets once more planning is finalised this week.
Committee member Greg Danckert said the club hopes for ‘‘good fields and a large crowd’’.
‘‘We’ve made the decision to definitely race, but that’s the only decision we’ve made so far,’’ he said.
Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and
zoos can reopen with one person per 4m2, up to a maximum of 5000 people.
The Caulfield Cup Day is usually a six race card, and a $14,000 prize has been confirmed for the Deniliquin Cup race this year.
Danckert said the main concern now is Edward River Council’s border bubble status, which restricts anyone visiting from Victoria.
While Danckert estimates the Caulfield Cup to have a local patronage of about 75 per cent, racehorses are often transported from Victoria to compete for the Cup, something which may not be possible this year.
Race day services — including hospitality, live music and ticketers — are all contracted locally, providing optimism the event should not be too severely impacted.
The club also plans to hold Fashions on the Field if possible, to showcase the bestdressed punters.
The Deniliquin Racing Club is one of the oldest in the region according to Racing NSW, and has provided more than 140 years of country racing to the region.
Premium horses have run the 2000m track over the years — including well known runners like Craftsman, Paignton, Commission Red, and Sir Boom were all initiated at the track.