Punters Club clear more than $40k at Interislander Summer Festival raceday
Brad Thorn was a hero to supporters of the All Blacks but it was his equine namesake winning fans when he helped punters
at the Tauherenikau races secure a $60,000 collect.
An estimated 12,000 racegoers attended the annual Tauherenikau race meeting on the second day of the year and were
entertained from start to finish, especially for those that had put $10 in the on-course punters club.
The punters club, which involves everyone combining their money in the quest for a big payout, made a profit of just
under $50,000 from four winning bets between races two to seven.
Wairarapa stalwart Dave Wright has been in charge of the picks for three years and he was on song again with a $4,000
bet that Girl With A Pearl in race six and Brad Thorn in race seven would both win.
“People that have been coming here for years said they’ve never experienced a roar like it when everyone got in behind
Brad Thorn with 600 metres left in the race,” said Wright. “That’s what racing is about.”
Brad Thorn looked to be struggling as the horses entered the straight with race-rival Legal Advice kicked clear, but
Wright said he told people around him that he wasn’t giving up on him.
“I studied his previous runs earlier in the week so I knew that he had plenty of heart and sure enough he tried all the
way to the line and got there first.”
As an Interislander Summer Festival raceday there was plenty of action off the racetrack as well.
“The parents got to relax and watch the races because there were plenty of activities for the kids to go off and do.
It’s all about fun at the races for people of any age.”
Thanks to Wright and the Wairarapa Racing Club there wasn’t anyone who left without a good story to tell.
ENDS