MORE than 15,000 punters and picnickers turned out in ideal racing weather to enjoy the Wairarapa Racing Club's first race day of the new year yesterday.
They opened their wallets too, as the club recorded an on-course turnover of $566,000 ? one of the largest on record.
This was helped by the staging of 13 races, which included three harness events.
Off-course turnover reached $1.5 million to cap a successful start to the year for the club, regarded as one of the most innovative in the country.
The feature race ? the Kingdom Residential Housing Wairarapa Cup ? was won by the Stratford galloper Prince of Toffs ridden by the country's leading female rider Lisa Cropp.
Local success came in the Rush Hire 1000m scurry when first starter Laoghaire, again ridden by Cropp, won.
Laoghaire is prepared at Opaki by Alby MacGregor
Top day at Tauherenikau
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