25,000 at Trentham for Cup Day

27 January 2008

25,000 at Trentham for Cup Day

An estimated 25,000 people packed Trentham Racecourse for the final day (subs: Saturday 26 January) of the Century City Developments 2008 Wellington Cup Carnival, according to Wellington Racing Club president, Mike Brown.

Punters invested just over $6 million on Saturday's Wellington meeting including on-course turnover of $1.5 million. Total TAB turnover for the three days of the Wellington Cup Carnival was $11.65 million, slightly down on last year's record of $12 million.

"Wellington Cup Day is still New Zealand thoroughbred racing's biggest day of the year in terms of on-course attendance, on-course betting and total TAB turnover.

"The week-long Wellington Cup Carnival is worth more than $8 million to the Wellington regional economy attracting many out-of-town visitors to the city.

"The Club has worked hard to grow the event each year and we are delighted with increased attendance across all three days of this year's carnival. While it is too early yet to confirm total on-course attendance on Cup Day we know the crowd was definitely bigger than last year," said Mike Brown.

Wellington Racing Club chief executive, David Jewell, said while there was some comment about the track on Cup Day, the event had gone particularly well from the Club's perspective, with a large and well-behaved crowd on course enjoying the outstanding racing and weather, Fashion in the Field competition and other attractions.

Wellington's Samantha Hannah was judged the Classic Lady of the Carnival and the Supreme Winner of the Century City Developments Fashion in the Field competition, driving home in a new BMW, the prize for the overall winner. There were more than 100 entrants in five categories of the contest.

ENDS

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