By Garry Dell
Record tourist numbers in Far North Queensland have ensured a huge day for the Cooktown Amateur Turf Club's annual Cup meeting on Saturday.
Club president Darryl Paradise says it promises to be a great day out.
"Everything is going well," the veteran owner and trainer of several horses said.
"We've had a small sprinkling of rain this week and the track has a good cover of grass and the side attractions are all up and organised.
"We've got the calcutta on Friday night and each of the nine horses in the calcutta race has a chance of winning.
"Then there's the Fashions On The Field on Saturday and a band until midnight.
"All accommodation in the town has been booked out for the weekend.
"We've got horses coming from as far away as Mackay and Townsville.
"John Manzelmann from Mackay has 11 acceptors for the six races, including two in the Country Cup Challenge qualifier.
"Both The Driller and Lets Torque A Deel both won at Mackay on Tuesday this week so together with Ricky Ludwig's Lord Of Light it's going to be a good race.
"Terry McGovern is also bringing up a couple of horses from Townsville, so we're attracting interest from far and wide."
Paradise, who combined cattle farming in the Gulf with training in the 1980s and 90s, gave the game away for a brief time until the bug bit again and he developed a property on the Atherton Tablelands and has a small number in work.
He has been a long-time member and office bearer with the Cooktown club.