Darwin Cup Day returns to form with big crowds, high fashion and high spirits
The NT’s biggest racing event of the year has come roaring back after the disruption brought by Covid-19 last year, with capped ticket sales selling out and thousands of interstate visitors joining locals for a successful day at the track.
Lifestyle
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THE NT’s biggest racing event of the year has come roaring back after the disruption brought by Covid-19 last year, with capped ticket sales selling out and several thousand interstate visitors joining locals for a successful day at the track.
About 12,000 people flocked to the Fannie Bay racecourse on Monday for a day of high stakes, high fashion and high spirits, and with a relaxed and social atmosphere and bright sun beaming overhead, the ongoing pandemic causing havoc in much of Australia felt like a world away.
The day’s main event, the Darwin Cup, was claimed by gelding Highly Decorated, with Danon Roman coming in second and Noir De Rue finishing third.
Darwin local and regular attendee Elizabeth Szegedi said she loved Darwin Cup Day because it encapsulated the vibrant and welcoming spirit of the city.
“The atmosphere is amazing and it’s what Darwin is all about,” she said.
“It’s colourful, it’s vibrant and it’s absolutely beautiful.
“And especially at this time, when Covid is around, it’s really special that we’re able to accept our interstate friends here … because I know they’re having a hard time in their other states.”
Melbourne resident Georgina Cameron said her and her friends were excited to be at Cup Day after being forced to cancel their tickets during the Melbourne lockdown, then scrambling to get them back again.
“It’s a very different experience to being down in Victoria. I feel like I’m on an overseas holiday!” she said.
“We’ve been to the footy … they still have quite large crowds there, but lockdown happened a couple of weeks ago, so we haven’t been to anything like this in a while. So it’s pretty exciting to be up here.”
Darwin Turf Club chief executive Brad Morgan said it a triumphant return for Cup Day after the drastic changes and restrictions Covid-19 forced on it last year.
“From what we were going through last year to where we are now, we’re in two different places, and from that point of view I think we’ve come a long way,” he said.
“(Last year’s Cup Day) was a great event, but this has now gone to another level.”
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