TICKETS are selling fast for the Newcastle Herald Hunter, Newcastle’s stand-alone November meeting that offers $1 million for the taking.With the expected increase in crowd numbers, an extra general admission precinct has been created with a big screen, pop-up bars and food stalls for the race’s sixth running on November 16.
Last year, the then-six-year-old chestnut Coal Crusher broke the track record to win the region’s richest race. His strapper Brave Pride – the son of the gelding’s trainer, Joe Pride – leapt into the arms of the horse’s part-owner, Stevey Arena, as she dashed away a tear. Ms Arena’s late father, the legendary music entrepreneur and former manager of INXS Chris Murphy, bred the horse. It was his pride and joy; seeing it come home to claim The Hunter was emotional.
Newcastle hard rockers, The Screaming Jets, are booked to headline the 2024 event as trainers prepare for the next meeting in a run of nine million-dollar races on the spring calendar that will end at Kembla Grange with Woolongong’s answer to The Hunter.
The 1300-metre handicap poses a challenging read for the punters, with a full barrier that can scorn a wide draw and a first turn not far from the jump before a long straight home. The race favours sprinters and middle-distance that has form in favouring graduating Group 1 horses that have come from the set-weight Winner Stakes that last ran on November 2.
Newcastle Racecourse boss Duane Dowell said the region had continued to support the race day. He said hospitality packages for the Hunter had sold out weeks ago, but there were still General Admission tickets available on the club’s website newcastleracecourse.com.au.