Considered by some to be the little brother of the Gold Cup, the strong showing during Thursday's Wagga Town Plate proved that even a so-called 'warm-up' event can be a favourite.
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A crowd of 3000 gathered at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club for Town Plate Day - donned in dresses, suits and ties, all hoping to be a winner come day's end.
The predicted blue sky shone overhead, making you feel like a champion even if you didn't back a winner.
"It's very good for Wagga," Jess Blencowe said.
"A better opportunity for people I think to actually chat ... whereas Gold Cup is a bit more of a party."
The crowd slowly started to build throughout races two and three, with one reveller surprised at the turnout.
"It's actually a little bit busier than what I thought it would be at the moment, but we'll see when the Town Plate kicks on," happy punter Ben Worldon said early afternoon.
As race two wrapped up, one racegoer expressed their disappointment on just missing out on a payday.
"Just came third in the race ... but we're enjoying the sunshine," they said.
The track, in pristine condition, welcomed punters with open arms ahead of the day's first race at 12.25pm, before the main event, the Wagga Town Plate, ran at 4.20pm.
Some racing enthusiasts at the track have travelled further than most for this week's carnival.
Loretta Robinson made it all the way from Ballarat to enjoy the racing in Wagga, making the trip worth it with a win.
"We got the trifecta, so we're pretty happy," she said.
"We came last year and we had a great time, so we came back again."
For Tanya McAlpin, coming to the Town Plate meant a two-hour drive north from Wangaratta "on a school day".
"The racing has been great, even what they're running on is fantastic as well," she said.
Although the NSW style of racing did catch her off guard at first.
"You run the wrong way ... that was hard to get used to at the very start ... it's been fantastic," she said.
And while the excitement was riding high throughout the afternoon, the biggest event, Friday's Gold Cup, offers another chance to get in and enjoy the action.
For some down at the track on Thursday, an appearance at the Gold Cup isn't a sure bet, with one racegoer debating whether a trip to Friday's event is a good gamble.
"We'll see how we go today," they said.
Jeremy Eager
Originally from Wollongong, Jeremy has made the move to The Daily Advertiser to tell the stories of the Riverina. Got a story to share? Email jeremy.eager@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Originally from Wollongong, Jeremy has made the move to The Daily Advertiser to tell the stories of the Riverina. Got a story to share? Email jeremy.eager@austcommunitymedia.com.au
