Community support as crowds flock to Ballina Jockey Club Summer Cup

BALLINA Jockey Club attracted a large crowd for its annual Summer Cup meeting, featuring a $65,000 feature race, fashions on the field and strong local fundraising support.

The Ballina Fair Fashions on the Field event distributed $8000 in prizes, adding to the atmosphere on race day.

Ballina RSL Club has taken on naming rights sponsorship in recent years and hosted a Calcutta on the eve of the event.

Ballina Jockey Club general manager Matthew Bertram said support from local organisations played a key role in the meeting’s success.

“Having that local support really helps. Ballina RSL Club are locked in for the next few years and that gives us some stability,” he said.

“Fashions on the Field is another big part of the day, and we also get a lot of help from local fundraising groups like Rotary clubs and others who work or volunteer in some capacity.”

 

The Rotary Club of Ballina on Richmond assisted on the day, running raffles and helping with gate and parking duties.

The meeting featured eight races with about $400,000 in prize money, attracting strong fields.

Murwillumbah trainer Matt Dunn prepared three winners, while jockey Andrew Mallyon rode a winning treble.

The feature Summer Cup has taken on added significance since 2022, with the first two finishers qualifying for the $3 million Big Dance at Randwick in November.

The race was won by four year old gelding Hurstville Zagreb, trained at Randwick by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.

 

Edited By, trained by Michael Freedman, finished second, with Rock Hard Love third.

Race favourite Tribeca Star, trained at Murwillumbah, finished eighth, with the top three placegetters coming from Sydney and the Gold Coast.

“Traditionally what’s happened here on the Northern Rivers has gone on to play a role in the outcome of the Big Dance,” Bertram said.

Racing continues in the region with the Tweed River Jockey Club hosting meetings over the next two weekends.ngs over the next two weekends.