Corowa’s Melbourne Cup meeting on the move
THE Corowa Racing Club is optimistic that a Racing NSW move to change its traditional Melbourne Cup Day meeting to the eve of the race will provide dividends.
The date change, which ends a 60-year association with the famous race day, will mean that the club will be the stand-alone race meeting in the region on the Monday afternoon.
Corowa Racing Club secretary and treasurer Sheridan Kay said that while Racing NSW instigated the move, it was an “easy decision” to make.
“We were approached by Racing NSW to change the date,” Kay told HorseBetting.com.au.
“We went through our books, weighed up the pros and cons, where we’d be running a non-TAB meeting against Wangaratta and Albury to a TAB meeting where we are not competing against anyone in the direct district.
“In the end it was an easy decision.”
In a region where race tracks will host meets on the same day despite being less than an hour apart, hosting a TAB meeting without direct competition will be a massive coup for the club.
The usually popular race day will now be a twilight meeting, and given Corowa borders the NSW and Victoria state-line, large numbers are expected due to the public holiday the next day.
The move, which took “about five months” to green light has been supported by the Corowa Racing Club regulars.
“There’s been no backlash at all, and I actually read a Facebook message today that said what a great move it is, and how it will help bring in more local people here instead of our local people going out of town.
“So if people have Melbourne Cup day off the next day it means they can get a good deal of racing in and do whatever they want on the Tuesday.”
The move will make Corowa’s race card the only one on the Monday night in the region, which means all eyes will be on the race club the night before the race that stops a nation.
Kay said the option of hosting a meet that will not be clashing alongside any other race card made the date change an enticing one, and the move was pushed as a reward by Racing NSW for the club’s strong recent performance.
“The lack of competition on the Monday night was a big plus,” she said.
“We’re a really progressive race club and they (Racing NSW) really want to help us moving forward after a really good year last year.
“We were happy to do it and we think it will be well supported.”