Barrier Daily Truth

Thumbs up to a new St Pat’s

Tuesday, 14th February, 2012

TO BE SURE!: Mayor Wincen Cuy dressed as a leprechaun yesterday to open the St Pat’s Race Club office.

By Emily Roberts

The official countdown to the city’s biggest race meeting began yesterday with the announcement of new attractions for the 47th St Patrick’s races.

Mayor Wincen Cuy cut the ribbon to open the St Pat’s Race Club office and exhorted people to go to church and pray for a dry Saturday on March 17 after last year’s meeting was washed out.

But Secretary/Manager of the St Pat’s race club, Cheryl Krutli, said a lot of other things had still to be done before race day.

“While we have been working in the office since last year and we have had workers on site at the racecourse for a few weeks, the next month is where everything steps up a gear,” Mrs Krutli said.

“We will for the first time have a marquee manned by DJs from Adelaide and Melbourne. It will be marketed at the younger age group who are looking for something different. It will be air conditioned, have its own bar, finger food will be available and plenty of music.”

Mrs Krutli said there will also be an outdoor area, a big screen TV and “some other little surprises happening throughout the day.”

Another new attraction is the Green room for young people. Mrs Krutli said for the past seven or eight years the club had opened different versions of an area for young people and that the Green Room was something new.

The marquee, for example, was not just for people over the age of 18.

“Under 18 people in the Green Room is most acceptable,” she said.

The Green Room has not yet been promoted but already 50 people have booked a place, most over the club’s website.

“The internet booking system has proved a boon for our club,” Mrs Krutli said. “The hits on our website and comments on Facebook prove how vital this tool is for the club.”

Club President Marg Corradini said there was a need for a good meeting after last year’s was rained out.

“There is no doubt about that our overall income was down significantly,” she said. 

“Fortunately we had the backing of our sponsors to fall back on who, as a group, were superb. They have supported us all the way and we owe them all such a huge debt of gratitude.”

Holding the meeting on St Patrick’s Day proper might also have been a wise move.

“Our bookings at this stage have exceeded all expectations. The Gary Radford Pavilion is sold out with over 400 people booked in. We have 40 on a waiting list. Our picnic sites are 80 per cent sold and we are selling memberships at a rate we are struggling to keep up with.”

The club has also welcomed a new race sponsor with the arrival of the All Seasons Hotel. The former Mine Host Motel has undergone refurbishment and had a name change so the owners, Mick and Dana Farcich, decided to sponsor a race.

“It is always a special moment when we welcome new sponsors and the Farcich family have long been hard workers and supporters of St Pat’s. So it is a great fit to have them sponsoring a race,” Mrs Corradini said.

The office in Crystal Street is now open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and on Saturday from 9am to noon.