A cold and windy day did not stop eager punters from packing into Phar Lap Raceway for the South Canterbury Racing Club’s biggest meeting of the year, at which a Christchurch jockey won the main race for the sixth time.

South Canterbury Racing Club president Noel Walker said crowd numbers for the Timaru Cup meeting on Thursday were better than expected.

“The event ran pretty well. It was a bit cold, but the crowd was still enjoying the races, and we were full up,” he said.

“The field started off as a slow seven, but it only got better after that.”

Kylie Williams, riding Jon Ol Roco, picked up the $80,000 Timaru Cup for a sixth time and her second consecutive win.

In 2022, Williams won her fifth cup riding 6-year-old Humbucker.

Before that, Williams won the Timaru Cup with Final Touch (2011), Pins ’N’ Needles (2006), Sapphire Belle (2005) and Aubwin (2000).

People of all ages packed the lawn, the hall and the stands for the races.

The timing of the event seemed to be popular with families, with plenty of children running around and hanging onto the fence to watch the horses race past and cheer them on.

The MPs for Rangitata and Waitaki, James Meager and Miles Anderson, both of National, were among the crowd.

“It’s fantastic to see a big crowd, although the weather has not played its part,” Meager said.

For the O’Sullivan family, of Mosgiel, it was their third time attending the Timaru Cup meeting.

Lauren O’Sullivan said her children were having a blast, and they were all enjoying a nice family day out sitting in the same spot they sit at every year.

Charli Fisher, 11, was excited about watching her grandmother’s horses, Onceaconner and Jethro, race.

Timaru’s Joy McDowell walked her grandson, Theo Galbraith, down the walkway for the boys’ Fashions in the Field competition. Theo’s mum, Gemma, said they had been attending the races every year for the past five years as it was a great family day out.