WITH an expected crowd of over 2500 people for next Tuesday’s Racing Orange Melbourne Cup Day, punters can be sure of seeing some quality racing after the nominations for the non-TAB meet were confirmed yesterday.
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Forty-four nominations came in across five $6000 races, which Racing Orange executive officer Daniel Brincat said was around par for this meeting.
“Honesty, Melbourne Cup Day is a bit more a social event for the punters,” he said.
“But that’s a pretty good number for this kind of event. Most people come out for the Melbourne Cup, and they get the chance to see some good local races in the lead up.”
Local trainers dominate the nominations, coming from Orange, Parkes, Forbes, Bathurst, Dubbo, Cowra and Gulgong.
In fact, just four of the 44 nominated horses come from outside the central west area, three from Hawkesbury and one from Gosford.
“We always get good support from the local trainers,” Brincat said.
“It’s far less time travelling, and none at all for the Orange trainers.”
Brincat said Towac Park is set to play host to one of the biggest crowds for any race meet in recent memory next Tuesday.
“We’re expecting at least 2000 to 2500, but that could be more,” he said.
“That was around last year’s number, and that’s pretty much what we’ve budgeted for but if it’s any indication, we’ve sold out our upstairs function room and nine of 10 marquee areas already. It will be a big day.”
With his astute knowledge and experience in the racing industry punters are sure to look to Brincat for a tip or two on the big race, but he refused to hazard a guess at this year’s winner.
“No I don’t think I could, I haven’t even had a sticky beak yet,” Brincat laughed.
“I’ll wait until the field proper is announced and then have a look I think.”
