Great dusty day at Enngonia Races

Dunk Insurance Enngonia Cup presentation l-r: Club President Phillip Ridge, part owner Keira Roach, part owner and trainer Mark Ward, strapper Gary Bignell, winning Jockey Michael Heagney, John Dunk of Dunk Insurance and Diana Ridge. Photo: Sarsfield Thoroughbreds

Blustery winds and dusty conditions didn’t deter the crowd at the Enngonia Races on Saturday with patrons pouring through the gates to enjoy one of the Outback’s most historic race meetings.

As race commentator Tim Moses described it - “The rabbits were burrowing mid-air!”

But despite the wind, Enngonia Race Club President Phillip Ridge said it was a highly successful event.

“It was an unbelievable dust storm and that kept the numbers down a little,” he said.

“But the races themselves, the catering and betting facilities operated pretty well kept despite that.

“The crowd was down to about 500 on the day but everyone enjoyed themselves. They came prepared because we knew it was going to be windy but it was a much stronger dust storm than expected.”

Phillip paid tribute to the winner of the Dunk Insurance Enngonia Cup, Zartini, trained by Condobolin trainer Mark Ward and ridden by Michael Heagney.

Read more in the printed edition of the Western Herald.