THE Border tradition of attending the races on Melbourne Cup day has fallen by the wayside.
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For the first time this year there will be no Melbourne Cup day meeting in the region after Racing Victoria's recent decision to cancel all non-TAB meetings before November 7 in the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wangaratta was the only local club scheduled to race on cup day before the announcement.
Corowa Race Club will race on Melbourne Cup eve.
While Albury Racing Club could be the big winner and should attract a healthy crowd for its twilight meeting on the Friday after the cup.
Racing Victoria Executive General Manager - Racing, Greg Carpenter, said it was a common sense decision with clubs unable to raise any revenue with no turnover at non-TAB meetings and the public banned from attending meetings in Victoria.
"I would like to thank the clubs affected for their cooperation and understanding regarding this decision which we appreciate would be extremely disappointing for not only the clubs but their extended communities," Carpenter said.
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It is in stark contrast to a decade ago when Corowa, Wangaratta, Albury, Wodonga and Wagga race clubs were all clamoring for a slice of the cup day pie.
The controversial decision by racing officials to grant Albury (2009) and Wodonga (2010) cup day meetings created a host of issues.
The Corowa cup day crowd which traditionally attracted a crowd of more than 5000 was suddenly halved with racegoers spoiled with options.
With so many meetings there was also a shortage of both jockeys and horses to cater for demand.
Wodonga was the first club to relinquish it cup day meeting after 2012 in favour of having the Melbourne Cup day public holiday transferred to Wodonga Cup day in late November.
Both Corowa and Wagga followed suit after their 2017 meetings with Corowa preferring a twilight fixture on cup eve.
Wagga gained an extra TAB meeting on a Friday in late October.
Albury was the lastest club to forfeit its cup day meeting last year in preference to racing on Boxing Day leaving Wangaratta as the sole club to race on the first Tuesday in November.
Wangaratta trainer John Ledger said the loss of the non-TAB meetings at Wodonga on Caulfield Cup day and Wangaratta made it hard for trainers to place horses who weren't up to the standard of TAB meetings.
"Those meetings cater for horses that are non-competitive at the higher level," Ledger said.
"Now those owners and trainers have got nowhere to race."
