A massive crowd flocked to Swifts Creek last Saturday for the 128th running of the iconic Tambo Valley Cup.
They came from Melbourne and the Latrobe Valley, over the mountain from Mansfield, all mingling and catching up with the local and East Gippsland folk who trek up the hill each year to enjoy one of the great days on the Victorian racing calendar.
Such is the pull of the three High Country picnic racing days in this region, Hinnomunje, Buchan and Swifts Creek, they attract similar crowds to the region’s most lucrative meeting, which hosts the $70,000 Bairnsdale Cup.
Tambo Valley Racing Club president, Stuart Stagg, was delighted with day, which offered something for everyone.
“It was one of the best race days ever, more than 1000 dressed up in their finest and headed to Victoria’s only privately owned race track, enjoying great weather and entertainment,” Stagg said.
The feature race, the Tambo Valley Cup, was run over 1600 metres, which is a great spectacle for racegoers, who get to see the horses thunder past twice.
The race was strongly contested with the leader changing a number of times and less than a length separating the first four over the line.
Mornington trained galloper, Laststrikeyourout, under the urgings of premier picnic rider, Shaun Cooper, who rode a five-timer on the day, snuck through late to nose out Cheeky Prince, Jahbath and odds on favourite, Jenni of Avalon, who was cramped for room in the straight.
Laststrikeyourout is trained by Nicole Dickson, who was rewarded for making her first trip to Swifts Creek, adding the silverware to the 2023 Buchan Cup the six-year-old mare captured last season.
“It’s a five-hour trip here, but when you have days like this, it makes it pretty easy. Looking forward to coming back and defending the crown next season,” Dickson said.
Other highlights on the day included the outstanding performance by Cooper and Seymour trainer, Don Dwyer, and the victory by local galloper, Doctor Coto in race two for popular committeeman, Rob Gillahan.
Doctor Coto was successful in the Alec Manning Memorial Open Trophy Race, denying Cooper his sixth win for the day, with popular Moe jockey Caitlin King in the saddle. The trophy was presented by club life member Reg Manning, in memory of his late father.
Trained just up the road at Ensay, Doctor Coto recorded his fifth win this preparation leading all way over the 1200 metres, his first victory over that distance in 13 attempts.
Remarkably the grand gallopers career looked to be over when he was badly injured in a race at Sale in February 2023, but nursed back to health by Gillahan, he is thriving and has gone to another level in recent starts.
That included an impressive victory at Bairnsdale on cup day, showing the eight-year-old still has something to offer at the professional level, after dominating picnic racing in February/March.
“He’s going fantastic, will head to Bairnsdale or Sale now and try and win another professional race,” Gillahan said.
Racing wasn’t the only attraction for the crowds, large numbers of visitors competed in all sections of fashions on the field.
Kids enjoyed foot races, Kelly Sports, the infamous Ricky’s Rooster Crow, and finished the day with an Easter egg hunt.
For the committee members, one of the highlights was to recognise the hard work put in over many years by two committee members.
Life memberships were bestowed upon Kate Commins and Joy Juegan both of whom have significant contributors in making the Tambo Valley Races the success they are today.
The once-a-year race meet is run entirely by volunteers and would not occur without their hard work and the support of our many sponsors.
The club is already planning for next year, vowing it will be bigger and better.
