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The 2023/24 Ladbrokes Summer Racing Festival is in the books…well, almost.
Newitt, it was an astonishing eighth, a record that he’s every chance to build upon in future years.
Across all three codes of racing and every part of Tasmania, there have been highlights aplenty, dating back to where it all started, with First Accused winning the Newmarket Handicap in Launceston at the end of November. The Summer Racing Festival is the pinnacle of racing in Tasmania, the state’s time to shine on the track, and off the course patrons have flocked to racetracks in droves to enjoy everything that Tasmanian racing has to offer. Australia’s oldest Group 1 classic is the Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand, the state’s best greyhound race, which delivered a grandstand finish in 2023. The mainland domination of the Hobart Thousand continued as the Jordan Thompson-trained Crackerjack Bull gave the trainer his first Group 1 victory. The locals hit back later in the Summer Festival when Raider’s Guide won the Group 3 Ladbrokes Chase, and Fast Minardi, the Group 2 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup. Thoroughbred trainer Glenn Stevenson has had his fingerprints all over the summer, including a famous Devonport Cup win with Ashy Boy. The win was Stevenson’s first in the race, but for jockey Craig
The Ladbrokes Carpet Charge was another hit in 2024, the first part of the Ladbrokes Community Sports Series (LCSS), which sees $76,000 in cash prizes shared between sporting clubs across the state. The LCSS is free to enter and will be back again next summer, so don’t miss the opportunity to win your sporting club up to $10,000. The Country Cups circuit is one of the highlights of every Tassie summer and once again, they’ve brought some of the biggest crowds that racetracks will see for the year. Longford, St Marys, Scottsdale, King Island and Burnie are just some of the great days that have seen towns empty for a day or night at the races. The Summer Racing Festival finishes with a bang and arguably saves the best until last. Ladbrokes Launceston Cup Day (28 February) and Ladbrokes Tasmania Cup Night (2 March) are the best that Tasmanian thoroughbreds and harness have to offer. Looking ahead, Easter is also a great time of year in Tasmanian racing and another brilliant opportunity to head to the track, with plenty more feature races across all codes coming up.
33 Tasmanian Hospitality Review February/March Edition
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