Burrumbeet Cup draws bumper crowd

A combination of perfect weather and an inviting family atmosphere saw almost 5000 pack into the Burrumbeet Park and Windermere Racing Club for a stellar day of punting, socialising and family fun.

The cup is known for its relaxed atmosphere and this year was no exception. While hundreds of keen punters lined the race track five-deep to roar their horse on to victory, thousands more sprawled out across the grassy hillside to picnic with their friends and families.

The mounting yard also proved popular, with onlookers flocking between the yard and the track to get an up close glimpse of the victorious horses and congratulate the jockeys.

Incidentally, Ballarat trainer Darren Weir continued on from a strong 2016, taking out the $20,000 Burrumbeet Cup flagship race, with Unfurl flying home for the win.

Burrumbeet Park and Windermere Racing Club secretary Paul Brumby said mid-afternoon that early estimations put the crowd number higher than the 2016 event, in what he described as a “fantastic” result.

“Things are running beautifully,” he said at the time.

“The gate looks to be up and the bar sales are also up, so at this early stage we’re looking really, really good.

“What we’re seeing today is a lot of people sitting out in the open. On a really hot day they tend to sit under the shade, but today it’s allowed everybody to spread out a whole lot more and that’s what makes it more enjoyable.

Less than an hour later, the official count tallied 4852 attendees, including more than 1350 were children – another broken record.

Local Tanya Harding said it was her first time at the cup, despite living in Ballarat for 15 years, and was pleasantly surprised by its casual nature.

“We’ve had a lovely day,” she said.

“It’s perfect weather and there’s a beautiful crowd. Absolutely (I’d come back again).”