Big crowd enjoys a triple treat

By Brad Kingsbury and Marc McGowan
PATRONS voted with their feet and flocked to Cranbourne racecourse on Sunday, giving the sixth annual Tricodes Race Day a massive tick of approval.
A family-oriented crowd of 3958 racegoers, a number up almost 800 from last year, attended the meeting, which highlighted a total of 23 races made up of gallop, harness and greyhound racing events, together with a variety of other on-course attractions.
The weather was perfect and again the event was organised with precision and cooperation between the three resident clubs, with Turf Club chief executive Neil Bainbridge praising all involved.
“It’s unique and Cranbourne is very fortunate to have it,” he said.
The smorgasbord of action for patrons was made even more appealing by several high-class performers stepping onto the track.
“(Harness star) A Touch of Flair was the highlight of the day. He had a 50-metre handicap and never looked like winning until the end,” Mr Bainbridge said.
He believes the event has a bright future and can only get better moving forward.
“We’ll also continue to offer a great kids’ carnival with activities and rides,” Mr Bainbridge said.
“It was free for kids and a cheap and affordable day out. We’ll expand that family scene. It’s becoming a great community day out.”
Victorian Minister for Racing Rob Hulls attended the event and said the great crowd proved that the fast-paced day was a winner.
“This is the sort of action that people want and will come to see. Tricodes is now a permanent fixture on the racing calendar and Cranbourne is a leader in promoting the sport of racing across all the codes,” he told the crowd.