By BARRY LICHTER
You can choose your own ticket number in Cambridge Raceway’s $100,000 TAB Trot Sweepstake - but sorry, lucky number 232 is already gone.
That’s because last year’s winners Wayne and Fiona Keoghan snapped up the same number which won them first prize of $50,000 as soon as they heard the club was running the promotion again.
Having beaten the odds once before, when they drew Copy That in the 2023 The Race By Grins, the Karapiro couple reckon it’s worth another $100 flutter on the TAB Trot Slot on April 12.
“I was going to get down to The Clubhouse to buy a ticket but when my mate said we could do it online I did it straight away,” Wayne Keoghan said.
“We had a fantastic time last year and couldn’t believe our luck when we drew the favourite.”
Keoghan, who had not been to the races for four years and had never heard of Copy That, said they still talk about the night.
“Even when we saw Copy That in front, we didn’t think he’d stay there all the way.
“After the races we went back to party with about 20 friends, it was quite a night.”
The Keoghans shared the winnings with their sons, some went into mortgage payments, and they topped up their holiday account, which paid for a recent four-week motor home trip round the South Island.
The big win also turned Wayne Keoghan on to the thrill of an occasional flutter, these days he has the TAB app on his phone and every now and then he follows the advice on Lincoln Farms’ website on what to back, all the while hoping for news on the recovery from injury of Copy That.
“We didn’t bet at all before. But we had so much fun last year and we’ll definitely be going again this year.”
The sweepstake is limited to 2000 tickets and the money raised will help fund the $575,000 TAB Trot which promises to be the most exciting race run here in years.
The eight-horse race features arguably the four best trotters from Australia - Just Believe, Callmethebreeze, Arcee Phoenix and Queen Elida - plus New Zealand’s top pair of Oscar Bonavena and Muscle Mountain.
Selling closes on March 31 and eight numbers will be drawn live on TAB Trackside TV during the Flying Miles meeting at Cambridge on April 4.
The person who draws the winning horse will get $50,000 with $20,000 for second, $12,000 for third, $6000 for fourth and $3000 each for fifth to eighth.
Go to www.nightofchampions.nz/sweepstake for your tickets.
