In a cheeky move ahead of their big day, Wyong Race Club is campaigning to have its annual Cup Day recognised as a half-day public holiday on the Central Coast.
This year’s popular Wyong Cup will be held this Friday, September 5.
“We aim to be the most community-engaged race club in the country, and making Wyong Cup Day a highlight of the local calendar, a half-day holiday would be a fantastic way to bring the community together,” Club CEO Greg Purcel
said.
“As we celebrate 150 years of racing in the district, we want the community to see the Club as an asset they can be part of and proud of.
“Whether it’s racing, community events, supporting charities, or hosting school sports, carnivals, Wyong Race
Club facilitates it all.
“So why not make a real statement?
“A Wyong Cup Day half- holiday would allow our community to come together and celebrate
Greg Purcell
annually.
“We wouldn’t expect every business to close – in fact, we believe it would be a boon for local businesses, clubs,
restaurants and cafes across the district.”
The Grafton Cup, part of the Jacaranda City’s July Racing Carnival, has traditionally been associated with a half-day public holiday in the Clarence Valley.
It is one of the few regional race meetings in NSW where recognition has been in place for decades.
Graton Race Club CEO Michael Beattie said: “The beauty of the half-day holiday is it engages the local community, allows them the opportunity to come, and the flow-on enhances the atmosphere; as the old saying goes ‘a crowd
brings a crowd.
“We don’t believe we would survive long-term if we didn’t have it.
“Historically, across NSW, a lot of Clubs used to have a two-day carnival; they have lost their half-day holiday, it has been reduced to a one-day carnival, and it has been severely detrimental to their carnivals.
“If Grafton can do it, so can Wyong and the Central Coast”
I do hope none of the councillors take this seriously.
The last thing we need to be doing is further empowering the racing industry