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By Mark Brassel

A laid-back afternoon to continue celebrating the New Year is assured at Muswellbrook on Thursday with the Club’s ‘Welcome in 2024 Raceday’.

“Our focus is around enjoying a day at the races and celebrating the New Year with live music in our gardens and excellent racing on the cards,” said Trevor Taylor, GM-Muswellbrook Race Club.

A great afternoon of racing is on the cards at Muswellbrook Race Club this Thursday (4 January)

“We have popular singer/guitarist Kevin O’Hara playing in the gardens with some great food lined up.

“The gates open at 12:30pm and the first of the seven-race TAB card kicks off around 1:50pm and racegoers can grab tickets online.

“The feature is the $30,000 TAB Benchmark 66 Handicap [1500m] along with the Horsepower Class 2 [1000m] that is a heat of the Rising Star Series for apprentice riders.”

Earlier in the week on Tuesday, Manning Valley Race Club will stage its Harrington Hotel Harrington Cup Day at Taree Racecourse.

“This is one of three excellent race meetings approaching for Manning Valley Race Club,” said Damien Toose, MVRC’s CEO.

“Harrington Cup Day leads the three racedays and is one of our biggest due to the influx of visitors to the area over the holiday period.

“The day highlights the lovely coastal town of Harrington which is about 20 minutes north of Taree and we are promoting it as a holiday raceday.”

And just a week later Taree will be the venue for a heat of the Rising Star Series.

“The final race meeting of our ‘treble’ is on Friday 2 February, and we’ve allocated this day as our Tradies Day, and we’ll be looking to involve the local businesses.”

Next Sunday is a huge for Gilgandra with their Cup Day offering a massive $295,000 in prizemoney.

“It’s a great family day at the races with a Fashions on the Field, a water slide for the kids and live entertainment,” said Gilgandra Jockey Club’s president, Jason Tate.

“All the action will kick off on Saturday night with our Cup Calcutta from 6pm at Gilgandra Services Club.

“We are stoked to have racing legend and former jockey Greg Ryan with us as the special guest speaker at the Calcutta.

“Of course, Greg is a 10-time winner of the Gilgandra Cup winner, and it will be fantastic to listen to his insights.

“Media presenters Tim Moses and Mick Wallace will be helping host the night and much-loved racecaller Col Hodges will be providing us with his phantom call.

“It will be an epic night out ahead of our Gilgandra Cup Raceday!”

The Gilgandra Cup (1600m) is now worth $50,000 and will be ably supported by a $50,000 Super Maiden (1280m) and the $35,000 Bob Foran Memorial Gilgandra Town Plate (1100m).

Lismore also race on Sunday with a seven-race TAB program offering $195,000 in prizemoney.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Tuesday: Taree
Thursday: Muswellbrook
Friday: Ballina, Wagga
Saturday: Queanbeyan
Sunday: Gilgandra, Lismore