“There wasn’t a day when I wasn’t asked by somebody when we’d have the races again.”

The above quote has come courtesy of Donald Drew, the longtime co-owner of Quebec simulcast parlour Pub de la Place Dupuis. Drew had waited two years and eight months to re-open the doors of his facility to the punting public.

Drew had been unable to offer simulcast wagering to his loyal customers for the nearly-three-year span due to the collapse of Quebec's horse-racing industry. As reported by Paul Delean in a Trot Insider exclusive last week, Drew's Pub de la Place Dupuis, which he has operated since 1996, is now officially able to offer simulcast wagering once again thanks to the strong effort by the Quebec Jockey Club to get the provincial industry back on its feet.

A report by Delean in The Montreal Gazette has explained that even though little advance notice was given, 50 handicappers were at the doorstep of Drew's simulcast facility yesterday (July 2) when he opened his establishment up and had racing on the menu.

Speaking about what Pub de la Place Dupuis had to do to keep afloat while simulcasting was not an option, Drew explained that the facility was covering costs and nothing more.

"You had to be creative," stated Drew. "We rented space to bands on weekends.”

(With files from The Montreal Gazette)