News Article

Carnival Turnover Up

13 February 2009

The Butt boys celebrate their BIG6 Hunter Cup win with USA import Mr Feelgood

The Butt boys celebrate their BIG6 Hunter Cup win with USA import Mr Feelgood

The return to a Saturday night timeslot for the BIG6 Hunter Cup has been hailed a success by Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) despite the weather and bushfires which prevailed on the day.

After being run on a Sunday afternoon for the past three years, the nation’s richest handicap returned to its traditional timeslot under lights at Moonee Valley last weekend.
Off-course TAB turnover on the 10 race card, which doubled as night two of the Sky Channel Nights Of Glory carnival, increased by eight percent on the equivalent Sunday meeting in 2008.
The crowd and on-course turnover were on a par with 12 months prior, which HRV Chief Executive, John Anderson, stated was a pleasing result given the circumstances.
“Given the excessive heat, the emergence of the bushfires and the associated road closures we were pleased with the crowd that attended our premier race meeting,” Mr Anderson said.
“The atmosphere they generated was fantastic, particularly when Mr Feelgood won the BIG6 Hunter Cup, and those who attended enjoyed exceptional racing and terrific entertainment.
“It was great to see Australia and New Zealand’s best go head-to-head in the Technyflex Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final, a champion of the future in Captain Joy strut his stuff in the Alabar Victoria Derby and of course, the boom US import create history in the BIG6 Hunter Cup.
“The Moonee Valley track was turned out in terrific order which resulted in Bells And Whistles becoming the fastest two-year-old of all-time in Victoria and Sundons Gift setting a track record.”
The increase in off-course turnover at Moonee Valley mirrored events on night one of the carnival when the stars headed to regional Victoria for the PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup.
Off-course TAB turnover on the January 31 premier meeting at Ballarat increased by 21.6 percent, whilst the on-course turnover was up a whopping 53 percent on the 2008 cup meeting.
“Congratulations to the Ballarat club on another outstanding cup meeting, one which was well received by the public as these figures indicate,” Mr Anderson said. “PETstock Ballarat Cup night is one of the great meetings on the national calendar as this year’s event reinforced.”
“I’d also like to take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the corporate sector whose valuable support allowed us to offer over $1.3m in stakes across the carnival.
“In particular, I’d like to thank our major carnival sponsor Sky Channel and our feature race sponsors BIG6, Technyflex, Alabar and PETstock.”