Sport
19 June, 2024
McKinlay geared up for Outback Showcase final
A big crowd is expected to flock to the remote racecourse on Saturday.
Two racing jurisdictions will come together on Saturday as the best from the North West do battle with the Central West at the McKinlay Race Club.
Always a highlight on the racing calendar, the McKinlay has only enhanced its racing in recent times, especially now it is the host of the Outback Racing Showcase final, worth $30,000.
The winner of the race, which doubles as the McKinlay Cup, will take home $20,550.
To qualify, horses must have raced in one of the heats staged across western Queensland – Barcaldine, Gregory Downs, Hughenden, Tambo, Mount Isa and Longreach.
The Kim McGovern-trained Reformist, a winner of the heat in Hughenden, and Mount Isa Cup winner Dollson, prepared by Steven Royes, look to be the horses to beat, although the 1500m will test all runners.
McKinlay Race Club president Robert Bulley said he was expecting another big crowd on Saturday.
“It’s shaping up as another good day out,” he said.
“We’re not the flashest show in the west but we’ve got good facilities and people like to come here for some reason.”
The club’s committee and members have been working around the clock to get the track up to speed for the meeting.
“The floods went right through and washed a lot of the dirt off the track,” Bulley said.
“It’s been a fair lump of a job.
“The clean-up was big and we had to rebuild the track and running rail.”
Bulley, who was born and bred in the region and lives at nearby Moonamarra Station, said he expected the competition to be fierce on and off the track.
“The fashions seem to be getting bigger every year and that is usually pretty competitive, plus we have the barefoot races after the last,” he said.
“There’s $1500 up for grabs in the open 200m race and we’ll have a Calcutta running on that beforehand.”
Camping is free at McKinlay with Townsville band Sneaky Beats playing at the Walkabout Creek Hotel on Friday night and at the track on Saturday.
Entry to the track is $17 and people should bring cash.