Weetwood wins flow from the track to city
IT HAS been a cracker of a month. And we are only halfway through it!
We have seen a celebration of local suppliers in the city at Locals4Locals, a brilliant parade and shop fronts dressed up in the spirit of the Carnival of Flowers. And that is just to name a few of the many activities consuming the city.
This combined with great weather. Result: a tonne of money spent in our local businesses. A great boost for our local business community.
This week, the show rolls on, with the spotlight firmly focused on Clifford Park. We will see the running of time-honoured races like the Weetwood Handicap and Toowoomba Cup, plus a great supporting card which includes recognition of a racing legend Pat O’Shea, in the two-year-old Pat O’Shea Plate
This annual event on the Toowoomba racing calendar injects serious cash into the region.
The Toowoomba region is at the heart of Queensland racing. It is engulfed in rich traditions and many successes. This heart lives on today with the Toowoomba region being littered with farms for broodmares, for spelling and for training thoroughbreds.
And then there is the availability of stallions, like Spirit of Boom who continues to make national top 10 sire tables.
Let’s not forget the riders, veterinary services, masseuses, farriers, chiropractors, and the list goes on who play important roles in the thoroughbred industry. Or the significant role of owners and volunteers.
Queensland Racing report that 46% of the annual $1.6 billion industry directly benefited regional economies. Its contribution to the local economy is undeniable. The racing community consists of
This annual event... injects serious cash into the region.
predominantly small businesses, which are the heart and soul of racing.
But the impact locally from this weekend is much broader than that related to direct racing participants. There are outfits to purchase, beauty salon and hairdressers to book, accommodation to arrange and Toowoomba’s delicious eateries and watering holes to visit.
We wish the Toowoomba Turf Club board and staff and everyone else who is involved or attends the Weetwood Handicap the best of luck.