Inside Racing: Curtain to close on sponsor ahead of annual race meeting

Peter 'Cork' Walsh, the publican at Warrnambool's Macs Hotel - Maceys Bistro for more than 40 years has been sponsoring the Woodford Cup for 34 years leaves the popular watering hole in late January.

Woodford Racing Club president Phil Irvine said it would be a sad day for so many people when Cork walks away from the local hospitality industry.

"It's incredible to think Cork has sponsored the Woodford Cup for 34 continuous years," Irvine said. "I think it would have to be some form of record around this area that a business has given such long-term financial support to a sporting or community group.

"It'll be the end of an era later this month at our race day. We've been extremely lucky to have the support of Cork for the last 34 years. It makes it a lot easier if you know you've got your major sponsor on board.

"I'm only new in the role as president but have been on the committee for the last ten years and I've been aware of Cork's long involvement with the club. We'll miss his on-going commitment going forward.

"Cork's commitment not only to the Woodford Racing Club but other sporting clubs and community groups is amazing. We wish him good health and longevity in his retirement years. We're hopeful the new owners of the pub will continue with a sponsorship deal."

Irvine said long serving Woodford Racing Club committee members Peter Haynes and Keith Hammond were awarded life memberships last week.

"The club has been lucky to have had the services of Peter and Keith," he said. "Peter was the president for 15 years and has been on the committee for more than 20 years while Keith has been on the committee for over 40 years.

"We only have a handful of life members. It's an award we just don't hand out to anyone. Terry Parkinson is another life member who is on the committee - between Terry, Keith and Peter we have more than 100 years of racing experience on our committee and it's a great asset to have people on board who understand and love racing."

Early indications are the club will host another successful twilight cup meeting as its considering adding more hospitality packages to its December 31 meeting.

"We've had a lot of interest from the public for our cup meeting," Irvine said. "The day works out so good because it's a twilight meeting and starts in the middle of the afternoon.

"We'll have a band playing after the last race and then there'll be buses taking people back into town for them to continue their New Years Eve festivities."

The club is already working out ways how it'll celebrate its 125th years of racing in 2025.

"We have a long and proud history and want to celebrate it in 2025," he said. "There's a few different ideas being thrown around as to the best way to celebrate the achievement. The Woodford Racing Club has been a tenant club at Warrnambool racecourse since 1948 and that's a remarkable achievement in its own right."

This years Mac's Hotel Woodford Cup carries stake-money of $50,000.

Top Warrnambool gallopers Tuvalu and Triple Missile are heading to the spelling paddock after unlucky runs in rich races at the Perth racing carnival.

Tuvalu was unplaced in the $1.5 million Group 1 Railway Stakes in Perth, following placings in the Feehan, Crystal Mile and Underwood Stakes in Melbourne over the spring.

Triple Missile nearly fell at the start of the $1.5 million Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes and was inconvenienced in the run on numerous occasions.

Trainer Lindsey Smith said it was best to forget the Perth performances of his two stable stars.

"I think punters just have to put a line through the Perth form of Tuvalu and Triple Missile," he said. "Neither horse had any luck in their races. Triple Missile in particular was really unlucky.

"Jockey Damien Oliver was lucky to stay on board and the jockey who caused the interference was suspended for 22 days that just shows what sort of bad luck Triple Missile had in the Winterbottom. We'll give both horses a good break before planning future runs."

Tuvalu has won eight of his 21 starts while Triple Missile is the winner of seven of his 19 runs.

Champion jockey Damien Oliver rides into the sunset after a long and successful career in the saddle following Perth's races this Saturday. Many of Oliver's records will never be broken but talented hoop James McDonald is filling the mantle set by the veteran.

Undoubtedly, the New Zealand born McDonald who is based in Sydney will be a star of the turf in Australia and on the international stage for many years to come.

Veteran jockey John Keating will be on the sidelines for ten meetings after being suspended by stewards at Moonee Valley on Friday night. Keating pleaded guilty to a careless riding charge following his ride on Triumphantly. His time out of the saddle begins on December 16 and ends December 27. Stewards deemed the incident in the mid-range before handing down the penalty.