The big day has finally arrived for the small community of Boort, with the return of harness racing on Sunday after an absence of seven years.
On hand to help mark the joyous community event will be Minister for Racing Denis Napthine who says the Victorian Coalition Government is thrilled to see its election promise to re-open the Boort track to harness racing come to fruition.
“Labor devastated local communities, including Boort, when it made the decision to close seven country harness racing tracks in 2005,” Dr Napthine said.
“The Boort Harness Racing Club, led by harness racing identity and Club President John Campbell, is to be applauded for their determination to bring racing back to Boort.
“In order for the track to be brought back to racing standard, the Coalition Government provided $174,600 to undertake major works to realign and rebuild the track and improve facilities for patrons including resurfaced track, new safety fencing, paving, lighting towers, a standing
start tower and broadcast infrastructure so the races can be televised around Australia.”
Local Member for Swan Hill and Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh said Sunday would be a great local event highlighted with the running of two feature races, the Boort Pacing Cup and the Boort Trotting Cup, both run over 2,612 metres.
“The day will feature something for everyone including great racing, fashions on the field, pony trots, yabby races, stallholders with local produce, and a playground for children,” Mr Walsh said.
“The importance of the return of harness racing to this community is demonstrated by the backing it has received from local businesses in race sponsorship.
“Country racing provides an important economic and social link in regional communities, so when racing was closed down in Boort by the Labor Government, important local jobs and financial benefits were also lost.
Labor’s decision particularly hurt harness racing owners, trainers and breeders who no longer had a local base.”
President John Campbell said Boort was the oldest continuing harness racing club in Australia, having run non-stop since 1891.
“So we are very keen to carry on that tradition The return of racing is therefore enormous for the club,” Mr Campbell said.
Dr Napthine said the Victorian Racing Industry Fund has provided a total of $678,000 to Boort, Wangaratta, St Arnaud, Ouyen, Gunbower and Wedderburn to bring the excitement of harness racing back to the track, after they were closed down by the former Labor Government in 2005.
“The 2,000 people at January’s Ouyen Cup and 4,200 people at the recent return of the Wangaratta Cup indicate the Coalition Government absolutely made the right decision to re-open these country tracks,” Dr Napthine said.
