The club will stage its Armidale Cup meeting next Monday and have named the Newmarket Handicap, the club’s Cup day open sprint, in honour of the late David Dye.

David, better known by his nickname D Dye, passed away April 13 last year at the age of 62.

He had spent many years as a committeeman, giving untold number of hours, help and work for the club in his vast voluntary fashion.

His funeral at the Piddington Funeral Chapel was one of the biggest seen in years with many racing people travelling long distances to commemorate his life.

Naming the Newmarket in D Dye’s honour is a respectful regard, reported club secretary Jim Dedes.

It will be known as the Debortoli Wines David Dye Memorial Newmarket (1100m).

“We’ve named it in honour of the big fella,” Dedes said.

“He was one of our greatest supporters and helped out around here doing anything and everything.

“We all miss him a great deal.

“He was great for racing.”

Cup time was special for D Dye too after he and a syndicate that also included AJC and HNWRA president Rod Watt won the 1993 Armidale Cup with Parademansia, a horse named after a black snake which had the scientific name Parademansia.

Dye was at work when he received a telephone call advising him the newest and unnamed horse in the late Keith Swan’s Somerton stable had arrived.

He was supposedly looking at the scientific name for black snake (Parademansia) at the time at work where he was employed by The University of New England in their biology lab. He worked there for 40 years.

D Dye was also a long time supporter of the Armidale Rugby League Football Club and a life member of the Hillgrove Cricket Club.

A noted bird enthusiast his many aviaries were built at his Hillgrove home.

But his biggest love was racing.

This week the Armidale Cup drew 22 nominations with 13 for the Newmarket and 14 for the Thunderbolt 2YO. Overall the AJC finished with 129 for the meeting.

A Cup Calcutta will be held at the Armidale Jockey Club on Sunday evening.