2022 Tamworth Cup photos: Fashionistas and thoroughbreds shine

The convergence of one of the city's biggest annual race meetings and the rescheduled Country Music Festival no doubt fuelled the procession to the track and the contagious buzz.

Blue sky competed with light cloud covering as the maximum hit 23 degrees, before the wind intensified later in the afternoon. The Tamworth Jockey Club had anticipated a crowd of more than 1500.

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Racegoers dressed smartly - with colourful, flowing frocks juxtaposed against tight-fitting numbers. Country-style hats were prevalent, as was more elaborate headwear.

Not to be outdone, many of the guys packed a sartorial punch.

"The atmosphere is so good," said Katie Dowling, who travelled from Newcastle to Tamworth with a group of friends. "We're having a great time. We'll have to come back next year."

Adding to the occasion was the involvement of big-name metropolitan trainers and jockeys, including legendary trainers Gai Waterhouse and John Hawkes, although they were not in attendance, as well as Group 1-winning jockeys Brenton Avdulla, Rachel King and Willie Pike.

Their involvement followed Racing NSW's announced this week that the winner and second-placed horses of the $200,000 Tamworth Cup are eligible to enter the ballot for the inaugural $2 million Big Dance at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day.

In the Tamworth Cup (1400m), the classiest horse of the field and the top weight, Bandersnatch, powered home to get the win. The Hawkes Racing five-year-old gelding was ridden by Golden Slipper winner Avdulla.

Pike rode three winners for two Tamworth trainers. In race three, he steered the Morgan-trained Hombre to victory.

In the following race, he had success abroad the Sue Grills-trained Mandalong Tapit.

In the last race, he triumphed aboard the Morgan-trained Trumped Up.

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