New Zealand Trotting Cup Day 2019: Conversations caught in the breeze

A typically-large crowd turned out at Addington Raceway today for the Christchurch Casino NZ Trotting Cup Day.

It's the biggest event on the Canterbury social calendar. Today, 20,000 Cantabrians donned their finest garb to meet, mingle, gawk, eat, drink, relax, and have a flutter at Cup Day. Some of them even saw a horse. Herald reporter Kurt Bayer was among the Addington faithful today, with his ear to the ground. These are just some the conversations of racegoers he caught in the wind ...

"We were waiting for the bloody Uber for ages and the kids just hooked into the bourbon."

"Crikey, it's a day for the old sunglasses, eh Dave."

"And you know what he said? Nothing. So, you know what I said? Bryce? You're an idiot."

"Good comedy though."

BE PART OF THE MAGIC

"Needs to trot away with them and get handy."

"Ya know, when I was a kid, I wasn't allowed to come because I had to go to f****** school."

"Yeah. But you've got to keep in mind the lateral spread. I just had to tell him, straight up."

DRINK RESPONSIBLY

"Rangiora? My neighbour's from Rangiora."

"Me, Carl, Dean … Boomfa."

BE PART OF THE MAGIC

"What we'll do bro, if we go early, is just go large. Like Saturday. Except … larger."

"Oh. My. God."

"Bro, between the mo and the mullet, combined with the suit jandals, you'll be batting them away."

"Has each-way claims."

"Look at the state of them, I mean, what are they even thinking?"

"Nice hat. Nice face."

"Bonny wee mare with no qualms about her."

"Much on? A little bit on. Quiet year though."

"It's a bastard but the money's outrageous."

"No, so, Aliyah is going too. And I'm like, whatever."

"I've got a free ticket! Oh hang on … no I don't."

Carvery: Creole rubbed Silere alpine merino.

"F****** smile eh."

BE PART OF THE MAGIC

"Pass the racebook. Actually, it doesn't really matter. Number 7's my lucky number. And it's gotta be due, doesn't it?"

"Looking to others in this line-up."

DIDJABRINGTHEBEERS?

"Go. Go! Oh, is there another lap?"

Deluxe Restrooms: Relieve yourself in comfort + style.

"Now that! Is a terrific suit. Flamingos?"

"Sure to make her presence felt"

"Trifecta, you beauty. I've got the fever now!"

"I mean, we're busy enough, because a lot of people aren't, you know?"

"Just fang em back in."

"I saw a horse! I SAW A HORSE!"

"Sorry, I'm a hugger."

Christchurch City Council Regulatory Compliance.

"No, she had a go at me. And then M had a go at her. I nearly wet myself."

"Oi! Shaun! Beer garden."

"Beers beers beers beeeeeeers."

"Proving hard to follow at the moment."

"She loves it though. You wouldn't know it but she does. Look at her. Loves it."

"Sober? Yes. Today? No."

"Hey Mr Policeman! Can we get a selfie? Pleeeeeease?"

"And I told him, 'Mate, it's just too dear for that many units'. But he still has to shift them. He'll work it out eventually."

"A public holiday? Na bro, it's just a Tuesday. Good Tuesday though, part of the magic."