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By Mark Brassel

“There were more fist fights than races” according to historical documents relating to Krambach Race Club’s Gloucester Cup Day that was established back in 1882.

So it is fitting the appropriately named Shotgun Roulette will start one of the top fancies in Tuesday’s $25,000 Bakewell Haulage Gloucester Cup (1257m) at Taree.

Left: Shotgun Roulette (Jay Ford) - will be extremely hard to beat at Taree today. Image by - Bradley Photographers

“It was often said that back in the days there were fights and squabbles and dare I say, a gun or two shown to quickly settle an argument,” said KRC’s Phil Shoesmith.

Krambach Race Club has a rich history with the tiny village forming a race club 135 years ago where they raced on land owned by the Paterson Family at Larry’s Flat on the outskirts of town.

The old buildings remain on this piece of land that is still owned by the family. Racing boomed around 1925 but soon slumped once the Great Depression hit.

At one meeting in 1930 there were only four horses available to contest the three-race program. During those days old hands rode the 220km from Krambach for race meetings at Tamworth.

In 1975 KRC commenced racing at nearby Wingham but soon returned to Taree where they have raced since.

“It is always a great day’s racing on Gloucester Cup Day with free entry and we have free buses from Gloucester picking up at Krambach and Nabiac,” said Mr Shoesmith.

“There’s another bus coming from Lakeside Tavern in Forster, picking up at the Lakes and Oceans Hotel and the Bellevue Hotel, Tuncurry.”

Shotgun Roulette is certain to be sent out favourite on Tuesday, having finished a close second to Cogliere in the Mid North Coast Country Championships Qualifier at Taree, before a sound ninth to Free Standing in the Final at Royal Randwick on April 1.

The gelding drops dramatically in grade and with apprentice Chloe Baker’s 2kg claim, looms as a weighted certainty.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree here