Emerging Darwin hoop Jade Hampson named jockey of the Alice Springs Cup Carnival
The crowds were down at the Red Centre’s biggest annual race meet but there were still plenty of memorable moments from the 23-day carnival, including a horse going backwards.
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Crowds were down at the Red Centre’s biggest annual race meet on Sunday but it was still a memorable afternoon for local punters, patrons and one emerging local jockey.
Alice Springs Turf Club general manager Mark Summers said there was a “well-behaved crowd” at Pioneer Park with legendary “larrikin” jockey Jim Cassidy in attendance at the “simpler” event following hospitality staff shortages.
“Numbers were about 10 to 15 per cent down on last year, just anecdotally at the moment,” he said, with approximately 1300 attending in 2022.
“I’d probably attribute that to that lost tourist market, we haven’t got all the facts yet but it’s definitely down on last year.
“No arrests, we didn’t have to kick anyone out, the racing was good, racing was close, plenty of emotion.”
There were highlights aplenty during the Alice Springs carnival (April 8-30), including 19-year-old Darwin hoop Jade Hampson, who started riding just 12 months ago.
Guiding gelding Write Your Name to victory for Dick Leech in the feature race, she was also named the jockey of the carnival.
Mr Summers described Hampson as an “emerging superstar”, beating seasoned campaigners such as Paul Denton, Jarrod Todd and Sonja Wiseman.
“They’re all city class riders,” he said of Hampson’s competition.
“She’s riding super.”
Meanwhile, the previous Sunday five-year-old mare Oddsock went backwards after the jump in race six at Pioneer Park.
The Trevor Montgomerie-trained horse reared and dislodged the jockey before heading in an anticlockwise direction, with officials fearing he would impede the approaching field.
“Everyone had their hearts in their mouths, it was a catastrophe avoided,” Mr Summers said.
“It was probably our biggest drama of the whole carnival, (Oddsock) was disorientated, started running backwards.”
He also said Cassidy was fabulous entertainment for punters at an official function on Sunday.
“He’s a bit of a larrikin and told a few stories he probably shouldn’t have,” he said.
ALL THE PICS FROM THE ALICE SPRINGS CUP CARNIVAL
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