For those working the Picnic Races, there's still no place they’d rather be

Trainers, bookies and organisers reveal the reason the Picnics is always one of their favourite events on the calendar, despite the treacherous weather.

Trainer Steph Sixtus at the 2021 Warwick Picnic Races.

Bookmaker John Thornton has been working the Warwick Picnic Races for 20 years, and although he has a job to do, he says it’s the atmosphere that keeps him coming back.

“I think the races are a great thing for country people, it’s a meeting place,” Mr Thornton said.

The Warwick man said he had been bookmaking all over Queensland, but the Rose City was always his favourite place.

“The girls get dressed up, the boys get dressed up, you come down and have a few beers, and a few bets,” Mr Thornton said.

“It’s just a good afternoon.”

Horses in action at the Warwick Picnic Races 2021.

And it’s not just the bookies who find some enjoyment in what is otherwise a working day.

Horse trainer Steph Sixtus said despite the day’s competition, there was a social aspect to they day.

“We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends,” she said.

She has been getting up in the winter mornings at 4.30am for the last three months to train the horses.

Miss Sixtus had two horses competing in the Picnics, but was not counting on a win.

“It will be good to put them through their paces,” she said.

Phil Grant at the 2021 Warwick Picnic Races.

Warwick Turf Club president Phil Grant said getting practice and experience was an important part of grassroots racing.

He said events like the Picnics allowed competitive racing with some progression onto bigger races in Brisbane.

“People tend to love coming to the races, and we’ve had a big crowd today,” Mr Grant said.

“With COVID, we’ve found there’s been a large crowd because people haven’t had the opportunity to go to events,” he said.

It was not just the competitors who benefited from the Picnics, with caterers and retailers seeing some cash thrown their way, as punters shopped for the day, Mr Grant said.