Page 51 - Tropic Magazine Issue 38

TROPIC • WHAT’S ON

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Crystalbrook Flynn, Cairns More celebrations
Esplanade for good causes
Boardwalk Social is making a splash
on the Esplanade with an immersive The Glade, Sheraton Grand
celebration. Tropic has two tickets up for Mirage Port Douglas
grabs. Find out more on page 15. Partnering with local charity KIND (Kids
In Need Donations), Sheraton is hosting
Reef Lounge, Cairns Jockey Club Spring Racing in the Tropics. $10 from
Fitting right into the big race day every ticket plus anything raised on the
atmosphere, Cairns Jockey Club is putting day will be donated to support children
on a feast with all the trimmings, best who have been diagnosed with a terminal
dressed, sweeps, and giveaways. or debilitating illness or injury.
If you can’t get south, then getting to a
Wolf Lane Distillery, Cairns track is the next best thing. Benson Hotel, Cairns City
Wolf Lane Distillery will be doing the Along with the usual goings-on for such
rounds and can be found at a few events Hemingway’s Brewery, Port a day, The Benson Hotel is giving you a
including Trinity Beach Tavern for their Douglas chance to win a trip to the Dubai Cup,
‘Cup Day Luncheons’, Riley with their Spring racing meets tropical style at whilst raising funds for COUCH.
Wolf Lane espresso martini pop up bar, Hemingway’s Boat Room. If being in
and at Flynn with cocktails and seltzers. Port isn’t glorious enough for the big race, The Reef Hotel, Cairns City
The Fox is also joining up with a few there’ll be live music, fashions on the field, The Reef Hotel Casino is going all out. The
newbies around town - Palooka and and no doubt a few prizes up event will be hosted by some radio folk
Guerrilla - for their Progressive Lunch. for grabs. and funds will support COUCH.

Although plagued with accidents and injuries, Frank’s
career was deemed hugely successful. He’s among
the few to ride more than 1,000 winners with victories
at Flemington, Caulfield and Ballarat. Frank’s most
momentous win came in the Melbourne Cup in 1973,
Cup connection riding Gala Supreme. He was the first Aboriginal
Mr Reys’ family has allowed Australian jockey to claim victory in the event, a feat
the publishing of his image. that still hasn’t been equalled to this day. At the time,
to avoid prejudice, Frank’s Aboriginal identity was kept
Despite its Melbourne location, the race that stops a private and instead his Filipino heritage was highlighted.
nation has links to far north Queensland, with one of our Frank and his trainer Ray Hutchins also became the
own jockeys winning the race back in the 1970s. first jockey and trainer to be awarded the gold-plated
Frank Reys, who has Filipino heritage from his father’s Melbourne Cup miniatures.
side and Aboriginal from his mother’s, grew up just After 27 years in the saddle professionally, Frank
outside of Cairns where he and his siblings learned to retired in 1976 immediately following his final win at
catch and ride wild brumbies. Flemington. He left the circuit with a total of 1,329
Exposed to his mother’s skilled horsewomanship career wins and a legendary status.
throughout his childhood, his natural abilities were soon
recognised as he became a show rider in Cairns, and MORE: tropicnow.com.au
later an apprentice jockey to trainer Alf Barker.

51 • tropicnow.com.au