Corey Brown didn’t win his third Melbourne Cup, but Wingham’s favourite son still had plenty of support at Manning Valley Race Club’s meeting at the Bushland Drive track.
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Calls of “I’m backing the local boy” and “come on Corey” rang out ahead of the ‘race that stops the nation’.
Riding Magic Circle in this year’s race at Flemington Racecourse, the Wingham born jockey finished 16th behind winner Cross Counter.
Corey was looking to make it back-to-back cup wins after his victory on Rekindling last year.
Despite the result, Manning Valley Race Club chief executive Helen Sinclair said the Manning is always behind Wingham’s favourite son.
“We think we own Corey Brown,” she said.
“He’s a Wingham boy and every time he races we feel connected to him as we do with a lot of the good jockeys that come from our region and horses for that matter.
“He supports us tremendously and we have a whole building named after him.”
Veteran race caller Murray Nelson said the Manning community takes pride in supporting Corey.
He’s a Wingham boy and every time he races we feel connected to him as we do with a lot of the good jockeys that come from our region and horses for that matter.
- Helen Sinclair, Manning Valley Race Club chief executive
“It gives us great interest,” Murray said. “He’s a champion jockey now in Australia and he’s proven worldwide.”
Looming cloud cover and threatening rain mixed with high humidity didn’t stop a bumper crowd from packing into the Taree racecourse.
There was action on track, with a five race card headlined by the Furphy Spring Cup over 1600 metres.
“Our race meeting is actually more important than those being run south of the border,” Helen smiled.
As the day formed one of the most sought after events on the social calendar, race-goers were dressed to the nines.
Inside the Winning Post Function Centre, prizes were up for grabs for the best fashionistas. “We’re picking people that we think have gone above and beyond,” Helen said.
Shades of blue, white and pink were all the rage with the occasional fedora and of course fascinators galore.
Murray said race-goers enjoyed the social aspect of the races.
“They’re here for the social day and I just think that adds to the whole thing - I think it’s wonderful,” Murray said.
