By MIKE DILLON
Mark Sweeney left Ellerslie last night with swollen testicles and board members left with smiles you couldn't wipe away with an axe.
Sweeney rode the favourite Ana Zeel into 17th place in the $500,000 Blue Star Auckland Cup after suffering bruised testicles earlier in the programme when he fell from Mac 'N' Fries.
The only bruising the Auckland Racing Club board members received was from the pats on the back they gave each other after recording what is believed to be a New Zealand record $6.2 million TAB turnover.
Even allowing the programme had 12 races rather than the standard 10, it was an unbelievable result for the ARC.
"It got us out of financial jail big time," said chief executive David Lloyd.
"We were looking at a $400,000 - $500,000 loss after Saturday's postponement, this now puts it at something like $150,000."
Chairman Barry Neville-White said he wanted to thank the racing industry and the public for supporting the biggest raceday in the club's history.
"Fortune favours the brave and everyone supported us magnificently when we decided to run the Cup and Railway on this programme."
There was doubt Mark Sweeney would ride Ana Zeel after his early fall, but he rallied, but perhaps may have wished he hadn't.
Aza Zeel settled well back and did not feature.
"She was pushed around and squeezed out early and did not race kindly after that.
"She may be a bit immature yet," said Sweeney.
Well-fancied Magic Winner looked to be travelling well enough behind the leading bunch to the home turn, but could not go on.
"He wasn't going well enough to take the gap in the straight when it came." said rider Gary Grylls.
Avondale Cup winner Trounced was relegated from fourth to six after serious intererence to sixth-placed Paddy Maloney with 375m to run. Desert Rain was promoted to fourth and Paddy Maloney to fifth.
Racing: ARC all smiles
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