THE national racing media, including legendary sports commentator Bruce McAvaney, will turn their attention to King Island this weekend for the much-anticipated inaugural $25,000 Miners Rest Cup.
The fly-in fans will be a major boost for the weekend’s King Island Racing Club meeting. The gala weekend kicks off with a dinner and Calcutta on Friday night at Wild Harvest restaurant at Grassy.
McAvaney will tick off racing on the iconic King Island from his bucket list this weekend when he and wife Anne attend the inaugural Miners Rest Cup meeting. McAvaney said he had long hoped to visit the island with a recent phone call from event organiser and trainer Henry Dwyer sealing the deal.
“It’s one of those places with a name you don’t forget obviously,” McAvaney explained to Racing.com. “For part of my life I probably thought it was down the bottom of Tasmania, I wasn’t exactly sure where it was.
“Stewy McSweyn has given it a fair bit of coverage being the great runner he is and coming from there, so it’s had a bit of a profile and you hear about the beef and the cheese. “I knew they had horse racing there and was aware things were tough and tight but had no idea they were that bad.”
Racing on King Island has been going for more than 125 years but when only 12 thoroughbreds called the island home last year, the island’s long tradition with horse racing was in jeopardy. With the support of six Ballarat-based trainers and sponsors, six horses were sent to King Island and have been racing at each meeting across the seven-program season, with all to clash in Saturday’s Miners Rest Cup for local charities.
“I have been following the form, I have been taking note of which horses and trainers and jockeys have been running,” McAvaney said. “There are five thoroughbred and two harness races, so just that whole experience, and I have an interest in both sports.
McAvaney will be part of a group of close to 80 people set to fly in for the weekend, including sponsors and clients from the stables of Dwyer, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Tony and Calvin McEvoy, Archie Alexander, Andrew Noblet and Andrew Bobbin.
“They are no doubt thankful for what Henry and the whole group have done, it’s been an amazing effort and I think it will be quite an emotional weekend to be truthful, but a real celebratory one,” McAvaney explained.
Henry Dwyer Racing responded to a call by KIRC president Audrey Hamer for horses for this year’s season. They pooled their skills and resources, purchased six horses in an online thoroughbred auction and transported them to the island. Last Saturday’s Recreation Day was the fifth race day of the King Island Racing carnival. Trainer driver Paul Williams continued this season’s winning form with Tisu Storm taking out The King Island Dairy Flying Mile pacing race.
A happy trainer as he quinellered the race with Rock n Roll Nitro, driver Damian Springs coming in second. Third place was kept in the Jakowenko family as owners, Peter trainer and James driver. It was gallopers trainer Chris Diplock’s day. Victorian trainer Chris Diplock relocated to the island for the season.
The stable had seven horses racing on Recreation Day giving them a win, two seconds and a third. The stable quinelled with Wandjity and Master Montecito in the King Island Dairy Sprint cup and gave jockey Amy Herrmann her fourth win for Diplock.
The imported horses will go head-to-head on Saturday’s Maritime Day Miners Rest Cup It is 1400m Race 6 on the card and prize money 1st $12,500 2nd $4000 3rd $2000 4th $900 5th $400 6th $200. The race day is live streamed and can be watched on YouTube.
Links and race results can be found on the King Island Racing Club and King Island TV Facebook pages or search King Island TV on YouTube. Race books can be obtained from the Post Office, King Island Hotel and Foodworks.