The Carnarvon race season culminates this Saturday with the anticipated $60,000 Carnarvon Cup (2000m), marking the pinnacle of the Gascoyne town’s social calendar.
The Carnarvon Race Club is anticipating up to 1000 racegoers to attend the meeting at the remote coastal track.
“Since 1883, the Carnarvon Race Club has been a social cornerstone of the Gascoyne region and fostered community spirit,” Racing and Wagering Western Australia CEO Ian Edwards said.
“Racing in WA is woven into the very fabric of many communities and we’ll see that in full display this Saturday when the Carnarvon community unites for the Cup.
“The Carnarvon Cup is more than just a race; it’s a celebration of the Gascoyne region’s rich racing heritage and the strong bonds that racing helps create within the community.”
Racing in the Gascoyne contributes $13.9 million of the $1.3 billion that the racing industry generates for WA’s economy annually.
The region also supports 111 full-time jobs of the more than 10,000 full-time jobs the industry sustains.
Carnarvon Race Club Operations Manager Geoff Rodier said the town’s iconic dirt track, which boasts similar dimensions to Flemington Racecourse, provided a chance for people to connect.
“The Carnarvon Cup is the biggest and most looked-forward to social event that our town has for the year,” Geoff said.
“The whole time the racing season is on it’s a massive boost for our economy – because of Carnarvon’s isolation everyone who comes here spends locally and it adds a lot to the town.”
Carnarvon trainer Peter Daly has been involved with the race club as a volunteer since 1987 and said he always enjoyed experiencing the packed-out crowd on Cup day.
“Carnarvon has a population of around 4000, so to get 1000 on course for the races at the Cup shows the continued enjoyment the town gets out of the event,” Peter, who has won the Carnarvon Cup three times, said.
“Everyone does their bit to help out, and it’s a credit to them.”
