Southern Airlines Fly-in Day on Saturday was the last day of the 2024 King Island Racing Club race season. It was an eight thoroughbred and harness race meet.
The misty rain didn’t deter racegoers, golfers and charters from around Australia on overnight and weekend tours, who came to experience King Island Racing and hospitality with the Southern Airlines marquee, featuring local produce.
The Southern Airlines Galloping Plate (2600m) was won by Lindrum trainer Jim Taylor, jockey Hannah Le Blanc, while Squazeemoto liked the 1000m for Tammy Muir and jockey Codi Jordan in the McKenzie Clarke Memorial Class B Handicap.
Squazeemoto was this season’s KIRC Galloping Horse of the Year.
The Galloping Trainer of the Year award went to Robert ‘Kodge’ Keys and the Galloping Jockey of the Year was Codi Jordan. The Pacing Horse of the Year went to Lou Lous Allgold, Pacing Trainer of the Year was Tammy Langley and Dylan Ford was awarded Pacing Driver of the Year.
The KIRC has survived another season with the support of the mainland Group 1 thoroughbred trainers and imported horses known as the Miners Rest Crew (MRC), and NSW trainer Bill Hayes and his imports.
The island sporting clubs benefited greatly, sharing in the winnings and MRC fundraising events. Tourism and local businesses also shared in the stables’ online promotion, engagement, media momentum and awareness of King Island racing.
“The success of the race meet’s support from mainlanders will change the long-term fortunes of racing on the island,” McEvoy Mitchell Racing’s Tony McEvoy told RSN racing media at the end of last season.
“King Island Racing can only survive if used by bigger jurisdictions to ‘blood’ new talent.”
He reiterated this sentiment after the running of the previous week’s running of the Miners Rest Cup and indicated that the training group will continue to support the King Island summer racing season and believed that by offering bigger winning purses other trainers will want to become involved. McEvoy suggested the “seven-meet summer carnival required ongoing – maybe greater – financial support from TasRacing”.
Local trainers have expressed gratitude for the support received but concerns remain around the sustainability of Island racing with retirements, low horse numbers and diminishing interest. One trainer suggested that the island should consider a different model where there are fewer race days or feature picnic meets.