Wanganui Jockey Club Welcomes Melbourne Cup

Race days in Whanganui are about the community having fun as well as horses and winning says Brett Field, operations manager of the Wanganui Jockey Club. Since 1848 Whanganui’s race track, one of the best in the country, has rung with the thud of hooves and the cheers of excited crowds. Today people also enjoy dancing, brass bands, kapa haka, pony rides, bouncy castles and the like. “We highlight that it’s not only about horses, it’s a community event so we have entertainment in between races,” Brett says.

Right now the Club is gearing up for a special event – the arrival of the Emirates Melbourne Cup in Whanganui. The 18-carat gold cup will visit Whanganui on the 28th and 29th September during its Australasian tour. “There’s a diverse programme with something for everyone in the community,” Brett says. “Whanganui is one of five centres chosen to get the Cup. That’s a real coup for us as there were many applicants.”

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