Saturday’s richest in the world $10million TAB The Everest race meeting at Royal Randwick had plenty of worthwhile implications for country racing and as I have written in this column it is a great time to be on board.
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The main race didn’t afford riches this time, but the future is something to aspire to for not only country gallopers but all participants in the industry.
So let us dissect all the relevant statistics of the meeting which gained world-wide coverage and had a record modern crowd on course, as far as Mid North Coast racing is concerned.
Three of our gallopers battled for the big prizemoney in minor races.
Unfortunately, the big opportunity for Wauchope Jockey Club to be the only club on the coast north of Sydney to have a meeting to celebrate the occasion, had its chance of glory ruined by overdue rain and a wet track.
Local trainers and owners were catered for by having not only a $200,000 Anniversary Highway Handicap over 1400m at Randwick but also a $100,000 consolation race due to the enormous number of acceptances for that race.
Port Macquarie trainer Marc Quinn took advantage of the situation and had Explosive Scene (last in consolation) and Cogliere (seventh in main anniversary) battle it out in the two country-only races.
It was left to Tuncurry trainer Terry Evans to nearly “pull a rabbit out of the hat” with seven-year-old gelding Arise Augustus in a $100,000 race over 1000 metres, the last of 10 races.
It was beaten into third by about a head at odds of 40-1 and the sectional times were admirable.
The winner of The Everest, Redzel, ran its last 600m in 34.46 seconds, whereas the equivalent time for Arise Augustus was only fractionally more.
“My horse was held up entering the straight and was only beaten .3 of a length,” Evans said.
Jockey Adrian Layt replaced Blake Shinn and Evans was very happy with his ride.
He used Layt to ride track work for him at Gosford more than a decade ago.
The trainer was so close to winning the $55,375 first prizemoney but the nearly $9000 made the trip worthwhile.
Arise Augustus is likely to race back in the big smoke at the night meeting on October 27 or on the following day.
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Tuncurry trainer Terry Evans said the record crowd at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday could be likened to that for the Melbourne Cup next month.
“It was a good day and the young brigade were enjoying themselves,” he said.
“There is little doubt that country racing has been given a marvellous opportunity to shine with the extra prizemoney being a boost.”
And what an opportunity for Wauchope Jockey Club to increase its profile should its abandoned Old Boys Cup meeting coincide with The Everest next year.
The club in past years had held its meeting on the Monday of the October long weekend but moving it a week ahead to the Saturday could be a terrific move should The Everest again coincide with that date.
As Tuncurry trainer Terry Evans said:”The meeting in Sydney will be like the Melbourne Cup and to have a local meeting on that day is worth gold if it is promoted correctly.”