No spare space at track

Monday, May 5, 2008

It wasn't always a smooth ride for competitiors at the Mt Garnet race meeting near Cairns.

A $250,000 investment in the Mt Garnet racecourse hit the right note with record crowds at the annual race meeting and rodeo at the weekend.

Mt Garnet Amateur Turf Club secretary Kevin Capra said between 1800 to 2000 were trackside on Saturday, up from the average attendance of about 1400.

"The weather contributed famously and there wasn’t one square inch of ground left where you could put up a tent on Saturday afternoon,” Mr Capra said.

"A lot of people I talked to came from Emerald, Charters Towers and evenBrisbane.”

Mr Capra said the dedication of volunteers who worked to refurbish the track and clubhouse had helped Mt Garnet to defy a national downturn in country racing.

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