NSW racegoers to tune in to watch the Big Dance before the Melbourne Cup

Before the Melbourne Cup stops the nation, plenty of racegoers across NSW will turn their attention to Royal Randwick for the Big Dance.

NSW country racing has caught “Cup Fever” as Royal Randwick’s Big Dance shares the stage with the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.

The nation comes to a stop to watch the famous Flemington two-miler at 3pm with punters expected to splurge more than $200 million on the Cup.

But racegoers around NSW will also be tuning into the Big Dance run at Randwick 40 minutes earlier.

To qualify for the $3 million Big Dance, horses needed to win one of 34 races, mainly country cups, held across the state in the last 12 months.

Trainer Michael Freedman only secured a Big Dance start for Ducasse in the final qualifier, the Wild Card at Randwick last start.

“The race (Big Dance) was always in the back of my mind depending on how he came back this spring,’’ Freedman said.

“Over a mile at Randwick, it is Ducasse’s best distance and track but unfortunately, yet again, he has managed to draw a horrible barrier (19).

“He is going to need a lot of luck from where he is drawn but he’s in great order and I think he is well weighted in that race.

Duccase and Jockey Regan Bayliss will be racing at the Big Dance. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

“It’s just a shame he has drawn such an average barrier but he is in very good form.’’

Ducasse will be ridden by Regan Bayliss who is attempting to go back-to-back in the Big Dance after winning on Attractable last year.

The Big Dance is the feature event race on a bumper 10-race program at Royal Randwick on Tuesday that complements the Melbourne Cup meeting at Flemington.

In fact, there are 30 race meetings around Australia on Cup Day including eight in NSW – Royal Randwick, Kembla Grange, Tamworth, Muswellbrook, Murwillumbah, Dubbo, Moruya and Wentworth.

Most of the NSW venues racing on Tuesday have provided a Big Dance starter including Gringotts, winner of the Tamworth Cup in April.

Tamworth Jockey Club chief executive Jack Penfold said the first Tuesday in November race meeting always attracts the biggest attendance to the Tamworth track every year.

“We are expecting more than 3500 people through the gates on Tuesday,’’ Penfold said.

“This is a bigger day than our Tamworth Cup meeting. We get a lot of 18-year-olds who have just finished high school and they come out to the races, and a lot of businesses in town take the day off, too.’’

Gringotts, who will be ridden by Tommy Berry, is the early Big Dance favourite at $3.80 with TAB Fixed Odds despite drawing wide in barrier 23.

“With Gringotts favourite for the Big Dance, it just goes to show how strong the Tamworth Cup is,’’ Penfold added.

TV presenter and model Laura Dundovic is looking forward to her first Big Dance.

Laura Dundovic pictured at Royal Randwick for The Big Dance. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

“I’m really looking forward to experiencing the whole day, I’ve heard that it’s just the best social event,” she said.

“Fashion is obviously a big part of my life but racing fashion has always been something I love. I think living in Australia we don’t have too many guidelines when it comes to dressing ... but when it comes to racing, there are those guidelines so I love having that, I think it makes it fun to play with.”

The Muswellbrook Race Club is staging a seven-race meeting on Tuesday, the second leg of a double-header at the Hunter Valley track and is also expecting a bumper crowd.

“This is such a great weekend for us,’’ MRC chief executive Christine Williams said.

“We had our Ladies Day meeting on Sunday and we have the Big Dance Day on Tuesday. It’s our own spring carnival.’’

Muswellbrook racegoers will be siding with Overriding in the Big Dance after she qualified by winning the Muswellbrook Cup back in April.

“Our Cup meeting was washed out but the race itself was added to the Newcastle program a couple of days later,’’ Williams said.

“It was unfortunate the Muswellbrook Cup had to be moved due to the weather but we were delighted that a trainer who is a great supporter of our club, Nathan Doyle, was able to win the race with Overriding, albeit at Newcastle.’’

Kembla Grange racegoers will want to be with Detonator Jack after his win in their big race, The Gong, and country cup winners Cranky Harry (Murwillumbah), Sneak Preview (Dubbo) and Zouatica (Moruya) are sure to attract on-track support in those regions.